WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)

In a globalized economy, protecting intellectual property in a single country is rarely enough. However, navigating the disparate legal systems of nearly 200 nations would be prohibitively complex and expensive without a unifying framework. WIPO provides this framework. Established in 1967, it administers 26 international treaties that harmonize IP laws and streamline cross-border protection for patents, trademarks, industrial designs and copyrights.

For R&D-driven organizations, WIPO’s most significant contribution is the administration of global filing systems. The most prominent of these is the PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty). The PCT allows inventors to file a single "international" patent application that has the legal effect of a national filing in over 155 contracting states. This system does not grant an "international patent" – such a thing does not exist – but it extends the deadline for entering the National phase entry (the point at which an applicant must pursue individual grants in specific countries) to 30 or 31 months from the priority date. This delay gives companies valuable time to assess the commercial viability of an invention and secure funding before committing to the high costs of translation and national filing. WIPO also plays a critical role in IP infrastructure. It maintains massive global databases such as PATENTSCOPE (for patent search) and the Global Brand Database. Furthermore, its Arbitration and Mediation Center provides an alternative to court litigation for resolving international IP disputes, including domain name conflicts.

RWS works in close alignment with the frameworks established by WIPO to help clients maximize their global IP value. While WIPO facilitates the international phase of protection, RWS is the partner of choice for the critical national phase that follows.

When a PCT application transitions to the national phase, it requires accurate translation, local agent representation and strict adherence to the deadlines of individual national patent offices. We simplify this transition. Our Human + Technology approach combines the administrative power of our IPMS platform – which integrates directly with WIPO data – with a global network of IP experts. This ensures that the strategic advantages gained through WIPO systems are not lost due to translation errors or missed deadlines at the national level. From PCT national phase entry to European patent validation and foreign filing, RWS helps innovators navigate the WIPO ecosystem with precision and confidence.