Welcome to the first module of the eLearning course on flexibilities of the WTO Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement).

This module deals with patentable subject matter and patentability criteria. It provides you with answers to the following questions:

(1) What justifies patents protection?

(2) What can be excluded from patent protection?

(3) Which requirements need to be met in order to obtain a patent for your invention?

(4) What alternative means of protection exist?

Particular emphasis is put on the question of the patentability of incremental innovations, such as new uses of known substances and product derivatives.