Innovations are a key to success. Therefore, intellectual property can be protected under certain circumstances – in the field of technology by patent; in the field of arts, literature and movies by copyright laws; the appearance of a product as a design, signs for goods and services can be registered as trademarks. Many international Conventions and Unions deal with these and many more aspects of intellectual property.

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) promotes the protection of intellectual property through close cooperation among states and the various intellectual property Unions. WIPO is offering a series of services in this context, including registry systems for certain intellectual property rights, databases, as well as arbitration and mediation procedures.

The Intellectual Property Division of the German Permanent Mission maintains close contact with the secretariat and the different bodies and committees of WIPO. The German Permanent Mission is promoting an adequate protection and a coherent system in the field of intellectual property – in coordination with the German Federal Ministries for Justice and Consumer protection, which is in charge of intellectual property in Germany.