Conference - Making IPR work for SMEs - 27th April 2009, Brussels

"Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) can be a vital competitive advantage for small and medium sized European businesses. Their competitiveness, creativity and innovative abilities are threatened by counterfeiting, piracy and uncertainty about enforcing their rights." - This is the introduction information for the conference organized by the European Commission which will be held in Brussels on April 27, 2009.

The main issues which will be discussed at the event will be how to help small and medium sized enterprises to better understand the potential of intellectual property rights for their business and to help them successfully enforce their rights. Further attention will be drawn on the need of cooperation and coordination between the IPR enforcement administration and the support services done by different groups and authorities.

During the conference will be discussed the Report of the expert group on strengthening the IPR enforcement of EU Industry and SMEs. The report is based on research and analyses of best practices in this field, realized in the period January 2008 - April 2009. It contains recommendations on how to improve IPR enforcement support measures for SMEs. It serves businesses and governments to develop better support measures.

The on-line registration for this conference will be closed on 21st April 2009.

Further information for the conference can be found here.

Program of the conference.

Source of information: European Commission.

Image: Euroepean Commission, Brussels, image by TPCOM