Contribution to the European Commission Intellectual Property Action Plan
1. 4iP Council is an organisation made up of 23 supporters and ecosystem partners, whose aim is to develop high-quality academic insight and empirical evidence on topics related to intellectual property and innovation. Patent rights are where the main competence of 4iP Council research has focused initially. Nevertheless, 4iP Council has developed many tools and resources dedicated to start-ups and SMEs covering copyrights, trademarks, design rights and patents. This is part of the 4SMEs initiative, through a dedicated page that helps SMEs to better understand what are the different types of IPRs, the benefits of IPRs, and how they can be fully used by SMEs to grow their business.
2. IP is the pillar of the EU economy and our research has shown that to continue to sustain European inventiveness and innovation across all sectors, particularly in the technologyfocused sectors, a strong cohesive IP framework is vital for European Industrial policy. 4iP Council has a deep understanding of the value of a strong IPR system and what it implies for future economic growth, and based on our research we have compiled recommendations for the use of IP Policy in ‘Revitalising European Inventiveness’. We have conducted empirical research and curated materials which can lend support to the Commission’s creation of the IP roadmap.
3. SMEs are the “backbone” of the European economy and their growth and success are vital to moving forward. However, as recognised by the Commission and shown by 4iP’s
