The TRIPS Agreement of the World Trade Organization (WTO) was revised on 23 January 2017. The revision of the agreement provides poorer WTO members with access to generic drugs. This change is in particular important for those countries that do not have their own pharmaceutical industry. This is the first revision of a WTO agreement since the organisation was created in 1995. Switzerland had...

Microorganisms can now be deposited for the purposes of a patent procedure at the Culture Collection of Switzerland (CCOS), which is headquartered in Waedenswil (Notification of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) of 16 January 2017).Other depositary institutions recognised by the IPI: International depositary institutions under the Budapest Treaty.

On 16 January 2017, Switzerland and China signed a declaration of continued cooperation between the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property and the Chinese State Intellectual Property Organization in Bern.A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has existed between the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) and the Chinese State Intellectual Property Organization (SIPO) since...

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Geneva: Signing the final Act at an official ceremony on 21 May 2015, delegates concluded the diplomatic conference and 10 days of intense negotiations to revise the Lisbon Agreement which provides for the protection and international registration of appellations of origin. In honour of the venue of the diplomatic conference, the now revised...

These projects aim at developing health technologies (medicines, diagnostics, medical devices, etc.) for diseases that disproportionally affect developing countries and for which there are gaps in research and development due to market failure. The projects aim to highlight the effectiveness of alternative, innovative and sustainable approaches to financing and coordination. For more...

The Swiss Federal Audit Office (EFK) conducted an audit of the IPI’s supervision of the collecting societies in February 2014. The audit report, published in July 2014, gives the IPI a good report card. But it also includes four recommendations for action. Report (in German)Summary (in German)

The interpellation Quadri 12.3396 - Der Auftrag der Suisa an die Yacast schadet der schweizerischen Musikproduktion (‘Suisa’s contract to Yacast damages Swiss music production’) was submitted during the Spring session 2014. It involves the automatic reporting of works of music played in clubs and discos.

On 1st of July 2014, the bilateral Free Trade Agreement between Switzerland and China has entered into force. This treaty contains a chapter dedicated to the protection of intellectual property. For more information.

Since Tuesday, 24 June 2014, the electronic trade mark examination support tool now contains all geographical indications protected through international treaties in Switzerland. However, as this involves more than 8,000 indications, the international treaties are not displayed in a standard search. To search for protected geographical indications, the 'international treaties' option should...

Tajikistan and Switzerland signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the implementation of a new cooperation project focusing on intellectual property (press release, pdf 388 KB).