Filing a patent for your innovation with the United States Patent and Trademark Office is one of way of protecting your investment. But what about the other 150+ countries where you could potentially be marketing your great idea?
The Paris Convention, an intellectual property rights treaty, grants patent applicants the same rights relating to filing and infringement to all who are a part of the treaty. For example, a resident or corporation in the United States may file a patent application in France with the expectation that the filer would receive all the same rights and privileges someone from France would receive. There are further requirements, such as having a domicile or business establishment within the country, which determine whether the applicant can file in a particular country. The treaty does not determine filing regulations, as each country is to have its own laws concerning intellectual property.
Currently 173 countries have signed the treaty, which was first established in 1883 in Paris, France. The treaty is administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization, located in Switzerland. WIPO was established in 1967 at the same time as the Stockholm amendment to the treaty. The treaty has been amended or revised seven times since it was first established.
