ICC-WIPO handbook for providing IP services launched

Tuesday, 28 June 2011 00:41 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) launched the publication, ‘Making Intellectual Property Work for Business Today’ during the 7thWorld Chambers Congress in Mexico City.

Developed jointly by the two organisations, the handbook provides practical guidance to chambers of commerce and business associations looking to provide Intellectual Property (IP) services for businesses.

Although intellectual property has become an essential competitive tool for businesses in today’s economy, many companies do not understand how to use IP in their business. Businesses membership organisations are uniquely positioned to help bridge this knowledge gap.

“Businesses nowadays have to rely on the effective use of one or more types of intellectual property to gain and maintain a competitive edge in the marketplace,” said David Koris, Chair of the ICC Commission on Intellectual Property.

“Business leaders and managers therefore require a much better understanding of the tools of the IP system to protect and exploit the IP assets they own, or wish to use, for their business models and competitive strategies in domestic and international markets.”

ICC Chief IP Officer Daphne Yong-d’Hervé said: “Because of the strong relationship with their business constituencies, business membership organisations are ideally placed to help companies navigate this emerging field and to play an active role in helping companies understand and use IP assets as a competitive tool.”

Available in English and Spanish, the ICC-WIPO handbook gives practical advice on how to set up different types of IP services, such as training, awareness-raising, consultancy, policy advocacy and stimulating innovation. It features 30 case studies representing real-life experience of business associations and chambers of commerce around the world, providing useful examples and illustrating good practices.

“An increasing number of chambers of commerce are beginning to appreciate the value of intellectual property to businesses and are providing IP services to their constituencies. This handbook will greatly help chambers stepping forward into this field,” added Anthony Parkes, Director of the ICC World Chambers Federation, which organises the World Chambers Congress every two years, and contributed the chamber perspective to the handbook.

The ICC-WIPO handbook is part of a suite of tools that ICC is developing to support the provision of business-oriented IP services to help companies boost their competitiveness. ICC’s long-standing work in the area of IP is spearheaded by the ICC Commission on Intellectual Property.