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Abstract
The Uruguay round of GATT has introduced an agreement called Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). This agreement provides a worldwide framework for industrial rights and copyright protection by giving minimum standards for national and international legislation on all fields of intellectual property and copyright. GATT has been replaced by the World Trade Organization as of the beginning of 1995. In Finland, new ideas and products, including computer programs, have been introduced into the scope of copyright protection. While patents still have significant importance for large and middle-size industries, a new type of protection has been introduced in most European countries. The Utility model provides new means of protection for minor inventions and product enhancements.