The issue of the nature and extent of legal protection of software arises in the context of a global software industry in which: a) suppliers and users are both heavily concentrated in the OECD countries; b) US firms dominate the global market, especially for packaged software; c) software...

The existence of sovereign rights over genetic resources is today well recognized in international law. However, the legal status of such resources in terms of property rights is still unclear. The consideration of this issue requires a clear distinction between physical and intangible property....

The access to and use of information and technology for development is subject to intellectual property rights. During the past decade, particularly with the adoption of the TRIPS Agreement, the rights of intellectual property right (IPR) holders have been expanded and strengthened. This is...

The scope and contents of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and its possible implications for legislation and practices are presented. The welfare effects and the likely impact of the Agreement on foreign direct investments, technology flows, as well as on...