The Washington Treaty on Intellectual Property in Respect of Integrated Circuits was adopted on 26 May 1989, by the Diplomatic Conference convened for that purpose under the auspices of the WIPO in Washington, DC. 73 states, the European communities and a variety of intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations were represented at the conference.Abbott, Frederick M. “WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION: TREATY ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY IN RESPECT OF INTEGRATED CIRCUITS.” International Legal Materials 28, no. 6 (1989): 1477–91. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20693386.
It provides protection for the layout designs (topographies) of integrated circuits. The Treaty has not yet entered into force because it lacks the required number of ratifications; however, it has been ratified or acceded to by Bosnia and Herzegovina (2007), Egypt (1990), and Saint Lucia (2000).
Contracting Parties Member Signature Instrument Bosnia and Herzegovina — Accession: March 8, 2007 China May 1, 1990 — Egypt December 5, 1989 Ratification: July 26, 1990 Ghana May 26, 1989 — Guatemala May 31, 1989 — India May 25, 1990 — Liberia May 26, 1989 — Saint Lucia — Accession: December 18, 2000 Serbia May 26, 1989 — Zambia May 26, 1989 —
References
External links The full text of the Washington Treaty on Intellectual Property in Respect of Integrated Circuits (Done at Washington, D.C., on May 26, 1989) in the WIPO Lex database – official website of WIPO.