TRIPS Agreement
Changing the Face of IP Trade and Policy-making
The establishment of the WTO’s TRIPS (trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights) Agreement in 1995 changed the face of international intellectual property (IP) law and policy-making. TRIPS negotiators recognized that shortcomings and inconsistencies in IP protection can distort trade and impede its benefits. The TRIPS Agreement helps ease trade tensions about IP issues while leaving WTO members ample space to pursue diverse domestic policies. This brochure, produced to mark the WTO’s 20th anniversary, looks into the use of IP rights covered by the Agreement.
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TRIPS Agreement