ICC’s mission

ICC was created in 1919 by a handful of entrepreneurs to:

promote cross-border trade and investment and the multilateral trading system

represent business all over the world

ICC members

ICC has hundreds of thousands of members in 130 countries:

Companies Of all sizes and from all sectors

Chambers of commerceRegional, national and local

Business associationsNational and sectoral

and worldwide offices in over 90 countries

ICC activities

ICC has three main activities:

Rules-setting Arbitration Policy

Intellectual Property in ICC

Commission on Intellectual Property World business views on key IP issues since 1920’s

BASCAPHigh level initiative uniting different sectors worldwide to fight against counterfeiting

Roadmap on current and emerging IP issues Annual overview of key intellectual property policy issues – Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Portuguese, French and Dutch

Chambers of commerce in ICC

Global network of 12 000 chambers of commerce representing over 130 countries

World Chambers Congress – 2007 Istanbul (1600 participants, 118 countries); 2009 Kuala Lumpur

World Chambers Network – networking, information exchange, business opportunities

Trade facilitation role – ATA Carnets; certificates of origin

World Chambers Federation

Chambers of commerce and IP

According to feedback from member chambers

Most outside Europe and the US do not have any significant activities relating to IP protection

However many recognize the importance of IP and are interested in IP activities

Obstacles faced by chambers

Lack of awareness among chambers re importance of IP

Lack of expertise within the organization and sometimes the region/country

Isolation and lack of a support network

Lack of human and financial resources

ICC IP tool kit for chambers

• Aim to encourage and help chambers set up IP programmes for local businesses

• Tool-kit for chambers, not for businesses

• Will not reinvent the wheel – use existing materials and resources where available

• Tools which are flexible and adaptable to different cultures, business/legal environments and languages

• Started defining contours of project in March 2007

Participation

Interest in project from nearly 60 chambers in Asia, Africa, Middle East, Europe, North and Latin America

Participants include• national chambers (e.g. Uruguay, Israel, Malaysia) • regional chambers (e.g. Zanzibar, West Sweden)• city/municipal chambers (e.g. Manizales, Geneva, Durban)• IP experts from IP Commission• ICC National Committees

Work carried out by ICC secretariat and member volunteers

IP tool-kit website - April 2008

IP tool-kit website

• Explanation of what IP is

• Why IP is important for businesses and for chambers

• IP action in chambers

• Outreach tools

• Training programmes and tools

• Policy tools

- IP roadmap

- IP commission papers

• Enforcement tools – BASCAP

• Links to IP organizations and WIPO SME website

IP action in chambers

• 2007 worldwide survey of chambers’ IP activities

• Over 40 responses from Africa, Europe, North America, Latin America, and Asia Pacific

• Information received summarized in table on website

• Exchange of experiences and network

IP action in chambers

IP action in chambers

Communication - web-sites, newsletters, guides, media

Training - seminars and workshops

Consultancy services

- IP specific/ general;

- First line/experts network/professional services;

- IP management/ technical searches/ technology transfer/licensing

SME case studies – confidentiality issues

Awareness raising – business schools,businesses, consumers, special days, media, publications

Surveys; studies

IP business opportunities – matchmaking, licensing, market placement, use of IRC and World Chambers networks

Policy advocacy

Encouragement of innovation and IP asset development – awards, exhibitions, innovation counsellors, IP management support

Working with other organizaitons

National intellectual property offices

IP professionals

Venture capital structures

Training the trainers

Programmes for training chamber staff in cooperation with WIPO

Pilot programme in Geneva – 15-16 September 2008

Next steps

Practical manual to guide chambers of commerce in setting up IP programmes

• Cooperation with WIPO

• Involvement of chambers welcome

For more information

ICC’s IP tool-kit for chambers of commerce:

http://www.iccwbo.org/policy/ip/toolkit

ICC’s IP activities and its World Chambers Federation

www.iccwbo.org

Daphne Yong-d’Hervé

dye@iccwbo.org