IOC and WIPO join forces to promote IP use and management in sport
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) have signed a Framework Cooperation Agreement to promote the use and management of intellectual property (IP) in sport and establish a legal framework for the collaboration between the two organisations.
The Agreement was signed on 13 June at Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland.
By leveraging their combined expertise and resources, the IOC and WIPO are aiming to foster the common goals within their missions, with their collaboration contributing to the development and promotion of innovation, creativity and the responsible management of intellectual property in sport.
The signing of the Framework Cooperation Agreement solidifies their commitment to work together, and outlines the conditions for potential future projects within their respective competencies and regulations.
Under the Agreement, the IOC and WIPO will embark on joint initiatives and programmes that reinforce the importance of IP rights in sport.
The IOC strategically uses its IP rights to generate revenue through the sale of media rights to the Olympic Games and marketing rights through The Olympic Partners (TOP) programme. As a non-profit organisation, the IOC then redistributes 90 per cent of the revenue it generates throughout the Olympic Movement, in order to support the staging of the Olympic Games and to promote the worldwide development of sport. These IP-generated funds provide critical support to Organising Committees for the Olympic Games, National Olympic Committees, International Federations and other sports organisations.
WIPO is an intergovernmental organisation and specialised agency of the United Nations, which plays a crucial role in leading the development of a balanced and effective global intellectual property ecosystem. WIPO serves as the global forum for IP services, policy, information and cooperation, with the mission to promote innovation and creativity for a better and more sustainable future. WIPO helps governments, businesses and society to harness the benefits of intellectual property by shaping international IP rules, offering global services to protect IP, providing technical infrastructure, facilitating cooperation programmes, and serving as a world reference source for IP information.
Global Summit 2024