IP/C/R/TC/NOR/1  
 
8 October 2020  
(20-6917) Page: 1/4 
Council for Trade -Related Aspects of  
Intellectual Property Rights  Original: English  
 
TECHNICAL COOPERATI ON ACTIVITIES: 
INFORMATION FROM MEMBERS 
NORWAY 
1.  The following communication, dated 6 October 2020, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Norway.  
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2.  Norway provides technical cooperation activities that are relevant to the implementation of the 
TRIPS Agreement through two institutions: The Norwegian Industrial Property Office (NIPO), a 
government entity – and The Norwegian Copyright Development Association (NORCODE), formed 
by industry organizations.  
1  THE NORWEGIAN  INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY OFFICE 
3.  The Norwegian Industrial Property Office (NIPO) has been offering training courses in the area 
of intellectual property rights and patent information services in collaboration with the World 
Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for many years.  
4.  The main objective is to contribute to economic growth and reduction of poverty in developing 
countries by providing practical and academic assistance to strengthen the infrastructure of the I P 
systems and increase the capacity and competence in the area of industrial property rights.  
5.  Training courses and information services are financed by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs, and free of charge for the participants and users. WIPO cont ributes to the organization of 
training courses e.g. by handling applications from the participants and cover travel and 
accommodation for contributing personnel from WIPO.  
6.  A training course in the trademark area was conducted in the week of 7 -11 October 2 019. 15 
participants from national industrial property offices in developing countries and countries in 
transition were invited. Participants came from Brazil, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, 
Kazakhstan, Madagascar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lan ka and Uganda (ARIPO – the African Regional 
Intellectual Property Organization).  
7.  The target group was officials who d eal with intellectual property rights at a practical level. The  
objective of the  course was  to contribute to a  better understanding  of different intellectual property 
rights, with a focus on the practical work and administrative management of industri al property 
applications.  
8.  The target group was officials who d eal with intellectual property rights at a practical level. The  
objective of the  course was  to contribute to a  better understanding  of different intellectual property 
rights, with a focus on the practical work and administrative management of industri al property 
applications.  
9.  Furthermore in 2019, the Norwegian Industrial Property Office has offered preliminary search 
services in the area of patents, through the WIPO Patent Information Services (WPIS) scheme IP/C/R/TC/NOR/1  
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  administered by WIPO. The target group for the service is users of industrial rights systems in 
developing countries (for example, businesses, research communities or individuals).  More 
information  can be found at this address: 
http://www.wipo.in t/patentscop e/en/d ata/developing_countries.html  
10.  In 2019, the Norwegian Industrial Property Office also arranged a full -year combined training 
and mentor course called the Patent Quality Program.  
11.  The target group was management and senior personnel in national industrial property offices 
in developing c ountries and countries in transition, with mandate to initiate and implement a specific 
project of improvement in their office. The programme was free of charge for the participants and 
fully financed by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  
12.  The progr amme gathered 15 participants from Argentina, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cuba, Egypt, 
Ethiopia, India, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Nigeria, Peru and Uganda.  
13.  The Patent Quality Program consisted of four phases;  
• In the first phase, the participants identified a patent -quality related project of interest 
for their national office.  
• The second phase consisted of two weeks training in Oslo, where the Norwegian 
Intellectual Property Office, with representatives from private sector and academia, 
carried out lectures study visits and guided the practical preliminary work on the 
participant's projects of improvement.  
• The third phase took place in the participant's home country where they implemented their 
project with remote support from a Norwegian colleague, who was available by t elephone 
and e -mail. 
• The fourth phase was a one -week follow -up session in a developing country, where 
representatives from WIPO Academy and the Norwegian Industrial property Office evaluated 
the projects together with the participants.  
2  THE NORWEGIAN  COPYRIGHT DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION  
14.  NORCODE  was established in 2007. The association's objective is to carry out international 
development work in the copyright field, in order to support the cultural sector in developing 
countries . 
2.1  NORCODE Regional Training  Program on Collective Management of Copyright and 
Related Rights 2019  
15.  The semi -annual training programme on exercise and management of copyright and related 
rights organized by NORCODE, took place two times in 2019:  
• Regional Training Program, Africa: 28 M ay to 6 June 2019, Accra, Ghana;  
• Regional Training Program, Asia: 4 -14 November 2019, Hanoi, Viet Nam.  
 
Objectives  
16.  The overall goal of the training is to provide a broad understanding of:  
• The role and functions of collective management in different creative industries;  
• Importance of solid governance structures and sustainability in collective management 
operations;  
• Importance of sound licensing and distribution systems;  
• Opportunities and challenges of digital exploitation on rights management.  
17.  The training also concentrates on solutions in emerging topics selected by the partnering 
organizations.  IP/C/R/TC/NOR/1  
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  Target Participants  
18.  The programme is primarily tailored for persons in a leading position in a collective management 
organisation (CMO). It  is equally well suited for persons in a leading position working in an 
intellectual property/copyright office which has a direct relation to a CMO in their country. Up to 20 
participants are selected from countries in the region where collective managemen t of rights 
currently exists.  
Programme Structure  
Phase 1: Preparation  
Distance learning  
19.  By way of preparation, the participants are obliged to complete a distance learning course 
"Advanced Course on Collective Management of Copyright and Related Rights fo r Collective 
Management Organizations (CMOs)" (DL 503), offered by the WIPO Academy. Participants are also 
encouraged to study the "Advanced Course on Copyright and Related Rights" (DL 201), subject to 
their prior knowledge on the legislative framework of copyright and related rights.  
Individual study project  
20.  Each participant selects a topic for his/her individual study project. They submit a one -page 
study outline document based on a template, in conjunction with the application. The participants 
develop t heir studies during the training course and submit a written eight-12-page long report on 
their findings six months after the onsite training.  
Country report  
21.  Prior to the training, each participant writes a country report, based on a template, to include 
an overview of the copyright system and current status of collective management in their countries. 
This country report is delivered two weeks before the training, where the results are presented.  
Phase 2: Onsite Session  
22.  The second phase consists of a ten-day onsite training session where information is provided 
by local and international experts on all aspects of a well -functioning copyright system. Training 
includes interactive sessions with group discussions, case studies, simulated exercises and 
develo pment of negotiation skills. This phase includes study visits to the copyright organizations of 
the host country.  
Phase 3: Individual Study Projects  
23.  The third phase  will take place in the participants' home countries where they work on their 
individual study project. This work is facilitated by tutoring online, when and where desired. The 
participants write a report on their topic within six months after the onsite session. The report is 
discussed and evaluated on an online platform.  
Phase 4: Evaluation  
24.  The fourth phase consists of evaluation of the impact of the training course one year after the 
onsite session. The participants give feedback on how and where their participation at the training 
programme has enhanced their knowledge and how th at has been demonstrated in practice in their 
work.  
25.  Participants are obliged to participate in all phases of the programme.  
Partner organizations:  
• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO Academy)  
• The International Federation of Reproduction Rights O rganisations (IFRRO)  
• International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC)  
• International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI)  
• The Societies' Council for the Collective Management of Performers' Rights (SCAPR)  
• The African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO)  IP/C/R/TC/NOR/1  
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  26.  Participants in the regional programmes came from the following countries:  
• Africa:  Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, 
Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South  Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.  
• Asia: Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, 
Sri Lanka and Viet Nam.  
 
For more information: http://norcode.no/news/  
 
Enquiries can be m ade to:  
 
The Norwegian Industrial Property Office  
Att.: Mr Vegar Johnsrud, Senior Legal Adviser  
Legal and International Affairs  
P.O. Box 8160 Dep.  
NO-0033 OSLO   
Telephon e:    +47 22 38 74 38  
E-mail: vjo@p atentstyret.no 
 
The Norwegian Copyright Development Association ( NORCODE)  
Att.: Ms Inger Dirdal, Managing Director  
c/o Gramo  
Rosenkrantz’ gate 21, NO -0160 Oslo, Norway  
Telephone:  +47 975 10 353  
E-mail:  inger.dirdal@norcode.no  
 
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