European Union (EU) has been stressing upon increase in innovation and protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs). In order to achieve this task, EU has been declaring various initiatives and policies from time to time.The latest to add to this effort of EU is the declaration of new IPR strategy for the EU economy. Last week, EU published a communication titled “a Single Market for Intellectual Property Rights: Boosting creativity and innovation to provide economic growth, high quality jobs and first class products and services in Europe”. In this document, the Commission sets out its new IPR strategy intended to foster innovation, as well as the growth and competitiveness of the EU economy.
Under this new strategy, the Commission proposes an ambitious programme until the end of 2012 that foresees actions in all the main IPR, in particular patents, trade marks, copyright and related rights and geographical indications.
In the field of enforcement, it is foreseen the expansion of the responsibilities of the European Observatory on Counterfeiting and Piracy, the revision of the IPR Enforcement Directive (Directive 2004/48/EC), the support of further voluntary measures between stakeholders in the context of the internet and the adoption of a new Customs Regulation.
The Commission also prepared a booklet and frequently asked questions with the purpose to explain the IPR strategy, its goals and main actions foreseen.
