The European Exhibition Industry Alliance and the European Intellectual Property Rights Helpdesk have teamed up to create a series of publications aimed at educating exhibitors on the rights available to them when exhibiting internationally.
In the factsheets, the duo explains how intellectual property rights differ depending on the country where the exhibition is taking place, and they arm exhibitors and show organizers with essential information for managing the preservation of those rights abroad.
In “IP Management at Trade Fairs,” experts note that intellectual property rights are only valid in the country where they have been registered for, meaning an exhibitor with U.S. patents or other protections have no guard against infringement in the world marketplace unless additional intellectual rights have been sought in other countries. In European Union countries, a robust intellectual property system exists, though enforcement of rights generally resides on the owner of the intellectual property.
Similarly, the factsheets warn exhibitors to be certain that their products do not infringe on the rights of others at an international event. To wit, a U.S. patent or other intellectual property protection does not mean goods or ideas are protected in other countries where a different company may have already registered the same concepts as intellectual property.
When it comes to establishing rights, certain official fairs offer exhibitors greater latitude in gaining them, protecting exhibitors during a grace period. And certain countries allow a fast track for rights when they have already been gained in allied nations. The nuances of rights laws, while similar to the United States, require study and proactive efforts if intellectual property is to be protected during international exhibitions, officials say.
The factsheets are available at no cost at www.iprhelpdesk.eu.
