The theme of ATRIP’s 39th Annual Congress was: The Exploitation of Intellectual Property Rights: In Search of the Right Balance. The background to ATRIP’s interest in this theme was the realization that even though the legal systems of intellectual property (IP) - the laws on copyright, patents, trademarks and designs, etc. - appear like a carefully tuned instrument: their effects depend largely on how the instrument is being played. If right holders use contracts, algorithms or litigation to push their rights beyond the intended limits, or if they find themselves unable to reap a benefit that corresponds to their contribution to society, the melodies the system plays are out of tune. Similarly, if users are unduly blocked from access and use of protected information or if unfair contracts deprive them of the fruits of their creative labour, this result in disharmony.