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Research and innovation
News article10 November 2021Directorate-General for Research and Innovation

The Commission and the European Union Intellectual Property Office commit to closer collaboration on Intellectual Property to support the market uptake of research result

Today, the European Commission Directorate General Research and Innovation, the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) signed a letter of intent for co-operation on intellectual property (IP) management.

This is a commitment to develop a process of co-operation towards closer collaboration between the parties in actions related to IP management. This will support directly the European Research Area objective to translate results into the economy, ensuring market uptake of research output and Europe’s competitive leadership in technology.

Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Mariya Gabriel, said:

I welcome this collaboration between my services and the European Union Intellectual Property Office. This will contribute to the implementation of EU policy on research, science and innovation in relation to intellectual property matters and supports European Research Area objective to translate results into the economy.

The signatories will coordinate their efforts in terms of; awareness raising activities on IP; support measures for innovative SMEs to boost their innovation potential and improve the understanding of the benefits that IP can provide. . In addition, they will share IP related data and will cooperate in IP management policy development, in knowledge transfer activities, which includes activities such as the development of a Code of Practice for smart use of IP (expected by the end of 2022).

Background

The European Research Area is the ambition to create a single, borderless market for research, innovation and technology across the EU. It helps countries be more effective together, by strongly aligning their research policies and programmes. One of its strategic objectives is to translate results into the economy to ensure market uptake of research output and Europe’s competitive leadership in technology. The European Innovation Council (EIC), implemented by EISMEA, provides Business Accelerator Services, including on IP management, to EIC projects.

Better IP management in the wider research and innovation community is fundamental for achieving breakthrough market-driven innovations and contributes to a more competitive European industry.

The current letter of intent is based on the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the European Commission and EUIPO on 16 April 2019 that allows the conclusion of arrangements and service level agreements between EUIPO and Commission services.

More information

EISMEA

EUIPO

Details

Publication date
10 November 2021
Author
Directorate-General for Research and Innovation