ICC works to promote a balanced and sustainable system for the protection of intellectual property. It believes that intellectual property protection encourages innovation and the development of knowledge-based industries, stimulates international trade, and creates a favorable climate for foreign direct investment and technology transfer.

ICC's intellectual propery policy is formulated by its Commission on Intellectual Property, which gathers over 300 business executives and private practitioners from 50 countries. The commission identifies key intellectual property issues facing the international business community and contributes the business voice to debates to resolve these. It also works to raise awareness of intellectual property by initiatives such as its annual Roadmap on Current and Emerging IP Issues for Business and other publications.

ICC works closely with intergovernmental organizations involved in intellectual property policy-making, such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Current Priority Issues

• Raise awareness of the potential contribution of intellectual property protection to development and provide input to WIPO discussions on this issue
• Contribute business views to discussions in the Convention of Biological Diversity, WTO and WIPO on the intellectual property issues relating to the protection of traditional knowledge and access and benefit sharing with respect to genetic resources
• Contribute to international discussions on outstanding and possible new TRIPS issues 
• Explore partnerships with intergovernmental organizations to promote use of the intellectual property system through ICC's network of chambers of commerce 
• Support and contribute to ICC's BASCAP initiative