Statement made by IFLA on the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)

TRIPS sets standards for IP protection that are similar to the levels of protection that most developed countries had. Because most developing nations did not protect intellectual property to that extent before the TRIPS Agreement was concluded, they were given additional time to comply with TRIPS. Developing countries were due to comply in most respects by 2000. All least-developed nations, which are members of WTO, are due to comply by 1 January 2006 (although this can be extended, and has already been extended for pharmaceutical patenting).