IPR HELPDESK IN SUPPORT OF INNOVATION THROUGH IPR PROTECTION Dr. Agnieszka Turynska Head of International Cooperation [email protected]AGORADA 2007 + Brussels, 15th November 2007 A project funded by the European Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry, under the 6th Framework
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IPR HELPDESK IN SUPPORT OF INNOVATION THROUGH IPR PROTECTION
The role of IPR was emphasised by the EC already in the Green Paper on Innovation from 1995
Increasingly important as a business asset
May constitute the most valuable asset in early stage technology based companies
“Virtually all of the inventions which ultimately hastened economic development and lifted living standards – especially new technologies and manufacturing processes – were developed in societies with strong intellectual-property protections.”(Robert Shapiro & Kevin Hassett, “The Economic Value of Intellectual Property,” October 2005)
Innovative and creative ideas are at the heart of most successful businesses
(→knowledge-based economy)
To commercialise an invention To prevent others from using it To safeguard a strong market position To strengthen negotiation power To attract investors To develop good reputation among consumers
BUT: Ideas by themselves have little value. IPR offers : exclusive property rights
IPRs are a critical factor for innovation, ensuring that the private sector has the possibility of being rewarded for the major investments needed to develop new products
IPRs encourage the innovative activities and commercialisation of their results
IPRs represent the legal protection for inventionsThe protection afforded by IPRs allows inventors time
to recoup their R&D investments, thereby providing investors the assurance they need to risk funding new innovative activities
IPRs facilitate technology transfer and direct financial investment
Since 1980, the world’s greatest economic gains have been achieved by developing nations that aggressively opened their economies to foreign technologies and business methods and protected the IPRs of those advancing the technological development (Reference: The World Bank)
Countries with weak IP protections receive less direct foreign investment, and it is less technologically
sophisticated. (Reference: R. Shapiro & K. Hassett, “The Economic Value of Intellectual Property,” October 2005)
IPR expert group -suggesting a number of policy recommendations that concern the improvement of IPR use by SMEs - http://www.proinno-europe.eu/NWEV/uploaded_documents/IPR_Expert_group_report_final_23_07_07.pdf
Study: Benchmarking National and Regional Support Services for SMEs in the Field of Intellectual and Industrial Property provides useful information on what support services are available http://www.proinno-europe.eu/admin/uploaded_documents/Benchmarking-Report-SME.pdf
Study: “Effects of counterfeiting on EU SMEs and a review of various public and private IPR enforcement initiatives and resources” provides data on SME information and awareness gaps as far as IPR enforcement is concerned as well as a list of IPR enforcement support services,http://www.ec.europa.eu/enterprise/enterprise_policy/industry/doc/Counterfeiting_Main%20Report_Final.pdf
Best practice project on strengthening the IPR enforcement of EU industry and SMEs — workshops on best practices of support measures by Member States and the private sector
China IPR SME Helpdesk – action intended to provide an advisory service and gateway for EU SMEs to both protect and enforce their intellectual property rights in or relating to China.
IPR Awareness and Enforcement project – with the objective to increase business development and innovation of enterprises, particularly SMEs, through improving their awareness and use of intellectual property rights and their ability to protect those rights and to fight counterfeiting – awarded project IP BASE
SMEs lack resources to attend national & international events
Regional & local key players are aware of regional needs, policy, problems, etc.
They know what’s happening in the region, know contact persons and target groups in the region
The need to improve cooperation with regional associations for the enhancement and stimulation of economic growth (e.g. Chambers of Commerce, Regional Development Agencies)
The need to link-up with relevant cooperation partners in the regions
To significantly raise SMEs’ interest and knowledge about Intellectual Property (IP) issues;
To raise SMEs’ understanding of the need to integrate IP in their innovation strategies and their business planning;
To improve the protection of SMEs’ IP rights and also internationally and increase the use of non-registered protection methods through their effective promotion;
To improve protection and enforcement by SMEs of their IP rights from infringement whether this originates from within or outside the EU;
To raise SMEs ability to fight counterfeiting and increase knowledge on the methodologies available to detect it;
To develop actions to promote awareness on IPR protection to educate the fashion and design industries (textiles, leather, footwear and furniture) on the risks counterfeiting poses and on the existing means and procedures to combat it;
To promote and support the use of IP rights in international research, development and technology transfer activities, providing an IP rights support service to actual and potential beneficiaries of CIP and Research Framework Programme actions, especially high-tech SMEs and Public Research Organisations.
Module 1 – Local level SMEs services for IPR awareness and enforecement (Innovative including high-tech) SMEs SMEs Support Services IPR Enforcement Agencies Innovation support actors (networks – Network in Support of Business
and Innovation -various agencies, Chambers of Commerce)
Module 2 – Sectoral IPR awareness action Enterprises of the fashion and design industries (textiles, leather,
footwear and furniture) from target countries, SMEs and Sectoral Associations, Chambers of Commerce, Regional Development Agencies and other
relevant regional and local players
Module 3 – Services for EU-funded research and innovation projects Current and potential participants in CIP and RTD Framework
Programmes (SMEs, Universities and Research Organisations) Customer of the Network in support of Business and Innovation National Contact Points