Intellectual Property

All intellectual property rights in materials produced by or under the authority of the International Organization for Identity Documents vest in the Organization, in accordance with Article 42 of the Charter and the Convention on the Protection of the Intellectual Property of the International Organization for Identity Documents.

Governing Instrument

The Convention on the Protection of the Intellectual Property of the International Organization for Identity Documents establishes the comprehensive framework for the ownership, protection, licensing, dissemination, and enforcement of all intellectual property of the Organization.

The Convention is a voluntary treaty open to signature and accession by all States and intergovernmental organizations, whether or not they are Contracting Parties to the Charter. It entered into force on the thirtieth day after the deposit of the third instrument of ratification or accession. Current treaty status is maintained in the Legal Affairs Registry.

What Constitutes OIDI Intellectual Property

Intellectual property of the Organization includes all works, inventions, databases, compilations, designs, trademarks, service marks, logos, names, domain names, software, algorithms, technical drawings, and other creations of the mind, in any medium, produced by or under the authority of the Organization.

OIDI materials, the principal category of the Organization's intellectual property, include all standards, recommended practices, technical specifications, guidelines, reports, studies, publications, training materials, databases, and software produced by the Organization.

The name, acronyms, emblem, and logo of the Organization are protected marks. No person or entity may use them without the prior written authorization of the General Secretariat.

Ownership and Assignment

All officials, experts, consultants, and contractors who produce intellectual property in connection with the work of the Organization assign, and are deemed to have assigned, all rights therein to the Organization. Terms of engagement include appropriate assignment provisions.

Contracting Parties that contribute materials, data, or expertise grant the Organization a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free licence to use, reproduce, modify, and distribute such contributions for the purposes of the Organization's work. The Organization acknowledges authorship of contributors where practicable.

Licensing Policy

The General Secretariat maintains a licensing policy designed to achieve the widest possible dissemination of standards and related materials, consistent with the financial sustainability of the Organization. The policy provides for:

• Free access: The texts of all International Standards of the Organization are made available to Contracting Parties free of charge;
• Preferential access for developing countries: Developing countries receive preferential access to OIDI materials;
• Academic and research access: Academic and research institutions receive access on favourable terms;
• Commercial licences: Commercial use of OIDI materials is subject to a commercial licence issued by the General Secretariat.

The licensing policy prohibits the modification of OIDI materials without the written authorization of the General Secretariat, and requires that any reproduction or distribution is accurate and complete.

Revenue generated from the licensing of OIDI materials constitutes income of the Organization within the meaning of Article 52 of the Charter.

Permissions Procedure

Requests for permission to reproduce, translate, adapt, or otherwise use OIDI materials should be addressed in writing to the Office of Legal Affairs, for the attention of the General Secretariat.

A permissions request should include, inter alia:

1. The identity and contact details of the requester;
2. A precise description of the OIDI material to be used, including the title, registration number (where known), and relevant sections or elements;
3. The purpose and nature of the intended use (academic, commercial, governmental, or other);
4. The form and medium of reproduction or distribution;
5. The territory or jurisdiction in which the material will be used or distributed;
6. The proposed duration of use.

The General Secretariat will respond to permissions requests within a reasonable time. Authorization, where granted, will be provided in writing and will specify the terms and conditions of use.

Requests may be submitted through the formal contact channels set out under Office Overview and Public Procedures.

Enforcement

Unauthorized use, reproduction, modification, or distribution of OIDI materials constitutes an infringement of the Organization's intellectual property rights. The General Secretariat takes all appropriate measures to enforce these rights, including legal proceedings in the courts of Contracting Parties.

The unauthorized reproduction or use of the Organization's standards, certifications, or assessments in connection with identity documents is treated as a matter of particular gravity. Contracting Parties are obligated under the Convention to take such measures as are necessary under their domestic law to prevent and punish such conduct.

Intellectual property of the International Organization for Identity Documents is administered by the General Secretariat in accordance with the Charter and the Convention on the Protection of the Intellectual Property of the Organization and its Officials.