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href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/">Policy</a> <a class="t-hide d-hide" href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/">Policy</a><div class="flyout"><div class="nav-group nav-group--two"><div class="nav nav--one"> <h3 class="flyout__header">Decision Making & Negotiating Bodies</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/assemblies/">WIPO Assemblies</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/sccr/">SCCR - Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/scp/">SCP - Standing Committee on the Law of Patents</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/sct/">SCT - Standing Committee on the Law of Trademarks</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/tk/en/igc/">IGC - Intergovernmental Committee on IP & GR, TK & Folklore</a></li><li><a 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</ul></div> <div class="nav nav--two"> <h3 class="flyout__header">Public-Private Partnerships</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/research/en/" target="_blank">WIPO Re:Search</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180617074853/http://www.accessiblebooksconsortium.org/" target="_blank">Accessible Books Consortium</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180617074853/https://www3.wipo.int/wipogreen/en/" target="_blank">WIPO GREEN</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/ardi/en/">ARDI</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/aspi/en/">ASPI</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/wipo-match/en/">WIPO Match</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="nav nav--three"> <h3 class="flyout__header">Global Cooperation</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/global_ip/en/">Global Infrastructure</a></li><li><a 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href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/">About IP</a> <a class="t-hide d-hide" href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/">About IP</a><div class="flyout"><div class="nav-group nav-group--three"><div class="nav nav--one"> <h3 class="flyout__header">Intellectual Property</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/">Copyright</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/">Patents</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/trademarks/en/">Trademarks</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/designs/en/">Industrial Designs</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/geo_indications/en/">Geographical Indications</a></li> </ul></div><div class="nav nav--two"> <h3 class="flyout__header">Training</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"><li> <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/academy/en/">WIPO Academy</a></li><li> <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/topic_type.jsp?group_id=242">Workshops & Seminars</a></li> </ul> <h3 class="flyout__header">IP and ...</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"> <li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/universities_research/">Universities</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/women-and-ip/en/">Gender Equality</a></li> </ul> </div><div class="nav nav--three"> <h3 class="flyout__header">Raising Awareness</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/ip-outreach/en/ipday/">World IP Day</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/ip-outreach/en/awards/">WIPO Awards</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/ip-outreach/en/tools/">Outreach Campaigns</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/">WIPO Magazine</a></li> </ul></div></div> <p class="flyout__span d-hide"> <a class="btn btn-info" href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/">All about IP</a></p></div></li><li class="flyout-control"> <a class="m-hide" href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/">About WIPO</a> <a class="t-hide d-hide" href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/">About WIPO</a><div class="flyout flyout--shaded"><div class="nav-group nav-group--three"><div class="nav nav--one"> <h3 class="flyout__header">About WIPO</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/">What is WIPO?</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/members/en/">Member States</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/observers/">Observers</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/dgo/">Director General</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/activities_by_unit/">Activities by Unit</a></li><li><a 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placeholder="Search WIPO" type="text"> <button class="btn ss-search" title="Search"></button> </form></div> </nav><div class="container"> <div class="wrap-outer"> <div class="wrap-inner"> <ul class="nav-breadcrumb"><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/portal/en/">Home</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/">Policy</a></li> <li class="active"><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/ip-competition/en/">Competition Policy</a></li> </ul><h1>IP and Competition Policy</h1> <div class="content"> <div class="main"> <p class="lead">Intellectual property (IP) allows consumers to make choices between competing entrepreneurs, and the goods and services they sell. Therefore, IP is inherently pro-competitive as it ensures the protection of differentiated, intangible business assets.</p> <p class="lead">Without IP, less efficient manufacturers and service providers would try to lure clients by copying the goods and services of more efficient competitors. The latter would lose any incentive to improve or to offer new products and services. Society as a whole would lose. But IP only performs that crucial role of ensuring competition when it protects genuine differences.</p> </div>  <div class="complementary"> <figure><a> <img style="width: 600px;" title="i_000010076850_600" src="/web/20180617074853im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/pics/i_000010076850_600.jpg" alt=""/></a><figcaption class="credit">(Photo: iStockphoto.com/petesaloutos)</figcaption></figure> </div> </div>  <div class="content cols cols--two line"> <p>The interface between IP and competition policy can arise from the following sets of issues:</p> <div class="col col--one"> <p><strong>Too much IP</strong>: When IP is unduly extended so as to grant exclusivity over non-differentiating features (such as <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/" target="_self">patents</a> for technical features that do not qualify as inventions and <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/trademarks/en/" target="_self">trademarks</a> for common, non-distinctive words) it is anti-competitive.</p> <p><strong>Too little IP</strong>: When efficient enforcement means are not available or when genuinely differentiating features cannot be protected, imitation follows.</p> </div>  <div class="col col--two"> <p><strong>IP in the right dosage</strong>: It is inherently pro-competitive but sometimes IP <em>in the right dosage</em> (neither <em>too much</em> nor <em>too little</em>), can generate an embarrassment to consumer’s right of free choice. This happens when IP rights are abused, or used in a way contrary to the objectives of the Law. It may also happen that IP in the right dosage can be associated with certain circumstances that make it difficult, impossible or inconvenient for competitors to seek alternative ways of attracting consumers. This is the case, for example, when patented technologies become industrial standards, or when the obtaining of test data implies the risk to the health and well-being of humans and animals. In the first case, it is impossible for competitors to create alternative, different technologies. In the second case, duplicating tests to obtain the same data causes unnecessary and socially unjustified harm.</p> </div> </div>  <div class="content cols cols--two line"> <h2>Research</h2> <h3>Studies and surveys</h3> <div class="col col--one"> <ul class="dividers"> <li>Survey on IP, Joint R&D and Competition (June 2015) <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/ip-competition/en/studies/survey_report_joint_rxd_june2015.pdf" target="_self"><img src="/web/20180617074853im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.gif" alt="PDF, WIPO Survey on IP, Joint R&D and Competition (June 2015)" border="0"/></a></li> <li>WIPO Survey on the Antitrust Dimension of IP Licensing Agreements in Support of Technology Transfer (March 2015) <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/ip-competition/en/studies/technology_transfer_survey.pdf" target="_self"><img src="/web/20180617074853im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.gif" alt="PDF, WIPO Survey on the Antitrust Dimension of IP Licensing Agreements in Support of Technology Transfer (March 2015)" border="0"/></a></li> <li>Patents and Small Participants in the Smartphone Industry (January 2015) <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/ip-competition/en/studies/clip_smartphone_patent.pdf" target="_self"><img src="/web/20180617074853im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.gif" alt="PDF, Patents and Small Participants in the Smartphone Industry (January 2015)" border="0"/></a></li> <li>An Overview of Cade's Recent Jurisprudence regarding IP (December 2014) <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/ip-competition/en/studies/wipo_cedin.pdf" target="_self"><img src="/web/20180617074853im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.gif" alt="PDF, An Overview of Cade's Recent Jurisprudence regarding Intellectual Property (December 2014)" border="0"/></a></li> <li>Study on Patent Pools and Antitrust - A Comparative Analysis (March 2014) <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/ip-competition/en/studies/patent_pools_report.pdf" target="_self"><img src="/web/20180617074853im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.gif" alt="PDF, Study on Patent Pools and Antitrust - A Comparative Analysis (March 2014)" border="0"/></a></li> <li>Study on Copyright, Competition and Development (December 2013) <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/ip-competition/en/studies/copyright_competition_development.pdf" target="_self"><img src="/web/20180617074853im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.gif" alt="PDF, Survey on Technology Transfer Agreements and Antitrust" border="0"/></a></li> <li>Survey on Technology Transfer Agreements and Antitrust (December 2013) <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/ip-competition/en/studies/tta_survey.pdf" target="_self"><img src="/web/20180617074853im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.gif" alt="PDF, Survey on Technology Transfer Agreements and Antitrust" border="0"/></a></li> <li>Study on refusals to license IP Rights (August 2013) <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/ip-competition/en/studies/refusals_license_IPRs.pdf" target="_self"><img src="/web/20180617074853im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.gif" alt="PDF, Study on IP license rights rejections" border="0"/></a></li> <li>Study on the impact of the acquisition and use of patents on the smartphone industry (publicly released by WIPO in June 2013) <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/ip-competition/en/studies/clip_study.pdf" target="_self"><img src="/web/20180617074853im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.gif" alt="PDF, Study on the impact of patent usage and purchase on the smartphone industry" border="0"/></a></li> <li>Study on the Anti-Competitive Enforcement of IP Rights: Sham Litigation (April, 2012) <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/mdocs/en/cdip_9/cdip_9_inf_6_rev.pdf" target="_self"><img src="/web/20180617074853im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.gif" alt="PDF, Study on anti-Competitive enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights: sham litigation" border="0"/></a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="col col--two"> <ul class="dividers"> <li>Survey on Compulsory Licenses Granted by WIPO Member States to Address Anti-Competitive Uses of IP Rights (October 2011) <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/mdocs/en/cdip_4/cdip_4_4_rev_study_inf_5.pdf" target="_self"><img src="/web/20180617074853im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.gif" alt="PDF, Survey on compulsory licenses issued by WIPO member states to address anti-competitive usage of intellectual property rights" border="0"/></a></li> <li>Survey on Measures to Address the Interface between Antitrust and Franchising Agreements (June 2011) <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/mdocs/en/cdip_4/cdip_4_4_rev_study_inf_4.pdf" target="_self"><img src="/web/20180617074853im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.gif" alt="PDF, Survey on measures to address the interface between antitrust and franchising agreements" border="0"/></a></li> <li>Analysis of the Economic/Legal Literature on the Effects of IP Rights as a Barrier to Entry (January 2012) <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/mdocs/en/cdip_8/cdip_8_inf_6_corr.pdf" target="_self"><img src="/web/20180617074853im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.gif" alt="PDF, Analysis of the economic and legal scientific literature on the results of intellectual property rights as a barriers to entry" border="0"/></a></li> <li>Interaction of Agencies Dealing with IP and Competition Law: Summary of Replies of Member States (June 2011) <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/mdocs/en/cdip_4/cdip_4_4_rev_study_inf_1.pdf" target="_self"><img src="/web/20180617074853im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.gif" alt="PDF, Interaction of bodies dealing with intellectual property and competition law" border="0"/></a></li> <li>Studies on the Interface between Exhaustion of IP Rights and Competition Law (April 2012) <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/mdocs/en/cdip_8/cdip_8_inf_5_rev.pdf" target="_self"><img src="/web/20180617074853im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.gif" alt="PDF, Studies on the Interface between Exhaustion of IP Rights and Competition Law" border="0"/></a></li> <li>IP and Competition as Complementary Policies: A Test Using an Ordered Probit Model (2007) <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/ip-competition/en/studies/study_ip_competition_oliveira.pdf" target="_self"><img src="/web/20180617074853im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.gif" alt="PDF, IP and competition as complementary policies" border="0"/></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="content cols cols--three line"> <h2 class="header">Events <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/topic.jsp?group_id=244"><button class="btn btn-info">Archive</button></a></h2> <div class="col col--one"> <h3>National seminars</h3> <p>Organized to deepen the understanding of the interface between IP and competition law and facilitate the dialogue among national governmental agencies.</p> <ul class="dot__list"> <li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/details.jsp?meeting_id=27032" target="_self">National Seminar on IP and Competition Policy</a> (September 27–28, 2012 - Chisinau, Republic of Moldova)</li> </ul> </div>  <div class="col col--two"> <h3>International roundtables</h3> <p>To enable a dialogue between national IP offices and competition authorities of the same region or the same group of countries.</p> <ul class="dot__list"> <li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/details.jsp?meeting_id=32462" target="_self">Workshop on IP and Competition for Certain Asian Countries</a> (May 20 to 22, 2014 - Singapore)</li> </ul> </div>  <div class="col col--three"> <h3>Other related meetings</h3> <ul class="dot__list"> <li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/details.jsp?meeting_id=23923">Geneva-based Symposia on Emerging Challenges Related to the Anti-Competitive Use of IP</a> (October 10, 2011 - Geneva, Switzerland)</li> <li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/2010/wipo_cr_lic_ge_10/program.html" target="_self">Facilitating Access to Culture in the Digital Age - WIPO Global Meeting on Emerging Copyright Licensing Modalities</a> (November 4, 2010 - Geneva, Switzerland)</li> </ul> </div> </div>  <div class="content line"> <div class="main"> <h2>Cooperation</h2> <p>National competition and IP authorities in <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180617074853/http://portal.mj.gov.br/services/DocumentManagement/FileDownload.EZTSvc.asp?DocumentID=%7B25B48E42-11C3-4328-8C79-382FA486844C%7D&ServiceInstUID=%7B2E2554E0-F695-4B62-A40E-4B56390F180A%7D" target="_blank">Brazil</a> and <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180617074853/http://www.inapi.cl/images/stories/Documentos/Cooperacion/RE501-APRUEBA-CONVENIO-INAPI-FNE.pdf" target="_blank">Chile</a> have recently signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) concerning technical cooperation and information sharing.</p> <p>The discussions leading up to the signing of such MOUs are important to ensure that both authorities understand the interaction between IP and competition law and the risks associated with too much or too little IP. For example, in many countries, IP standards are established by parliaments, but IP authorities invariably keep a broad authority of discretion in assessing registrability. Also, in enforcing antitrust law, national competition agencies are frequently confronted with IP-related issues.</p> <p>The scope of the technical cooperation outlined in MOUs between these authorities may cover:</p> <ul class="dot__list"> <li>Exchange of technical information and knowledge between the respective technical bodies;</li> <li>Consultancy services - for the definition of procedural routines, guidelines and standards in the joint treatment of mergers or anti-competitive practices which involve intellectual property;</li> <li>Studies - on the relationship and interface between intellectual property and antitrust;</li> <li>Training - of human resources from both entities on IP and competition policy issues deemed relevant;</li> <li>Promotion and information dissemination– of the standards and principles of IP and free competition, or publicizing the respective functions of both authorities among consumers and users of their services</li> <li>Draft proposed regulations - on the basis of analyses and studies, which lead, within the scope of the Agreement, to integrated measures for case resolution.</li> </ul> <p>WIPO can assist IP offices from member states in developing such agreements.</p> <p>For more information, <a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/contact/en/area.jsp?area=ipcompetition" target="_self">contact us</a>.</p> </div>  <div class="complementary"> <h3>External links</h3> <ul class="dot__list"> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180617074853/http://www.internationalcompetitionnetwork.org/" target="_blank">International Competition Network</a> (includes links to all national competition authorities that are member of the network)</li> <li>Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) - <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180617074853/http://www.oecd.org/topic/0,3699,en_2649_37463_1_1_1_1_37463,00.html" target="_blank">Competition Commitee</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180617074853/http://www.unctad.org/competition" target="_blank">United Nations Conference on Trade and Development</a> (UNCTAD)</li> </ul> </div> </div>  <div class="content cols cols--three line"> <h2>Related links</h2> <div class="col col--one"> <h3>Cooperation</h3> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/ip-development/en/agenda/" target="_self">Development agenda</a></li> </ul> </div>  <div class="col col--two"> <h3>About IP</h3> <ul class="dividers"> <li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/" target="_self">Copyright</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/" target="_self">Patents</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/trademarks/en/" target="_self">Trademarks</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/designs/en/" target="_self">Industrial designs</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180617074853/http://www.wipo.int/geo_indications/en/" 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