European IPR Helpdesk Bulletin #27

This Bulletin issue is largely dedicated to IP and innovation and their importance for business.

An article from WIPO highlights the instances where IP has the potential of playing an important role in the process of taking innovative technologies to the marketplace and clarifies the difference between innovations and inventions.

EUIPO aims to enhance the understanding of the role and contribution of trade secrets within the IP portfolio of EU companies while the next article, by the Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO), gives an overview of the relationship between IP, plant variety rights (PVRs) and innovation along with its importance for European SMEs.

EPO focuses on how SMEs from different regions and sectors can better exploit their IP by developing a creative, proactive and value-oriented approach to patents and other IP rights.

Moreover, Sacha Lakic Design, a Luxembourguish design company, shares with us its expertise in this field in an interview, providing some guidance on what to do when facing IP issues and how design companies can best manage their Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs).

As per usual, the Bulletin reports information about past IPR events together with the latest news from the Helpline service. This time you will also find two short articles regarding the « New Country Special: IP in Croatia » and the IPforBusiness – IP Training Roadshow for Innovation Support, as well as our brand new IP and innovation letter soup and the usual patent quiz.