Jurisdictional restrictions do not protect patents. Under international laws, a patent has to be secured in every country in which the patent holder intends to do business. To promote invention and protect intellectual property, 116 countries have organized an administration called the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). WIPO attempts to promote technology sharing among member countries, especially the lesser-developed ones. It also administers two treaties, the Berne Treaty and the Paris Convention, both of which are multinational agreements governing the management of intellectual property.

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is one of the seventeen specialized agencies of the United Nations. WIPO was created in 1967 "to encourage creative activity, to promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world." WIPO currently has 188 member states, administers 26 international treaties, and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The current Director-General of WIPO is Francis Gurry, who took office on October 1, 2008. 186 of the UN Members as well as the Holy See are Members of WIPO. Non-members are the states of South Sudan, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, and the states with limited recognition. Palestine has observer status.