The European Patent Office has launched a new website providing information about intellectual property called ip4inno.

As the ip4inno website explains, "its main aim is to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) enhance their understanding and use of intellectual property rights with a view to promoting innovation and competitiveness in line with the European Commission's Lisbon goals."

The website allows users to "perform an advanced search for a wide selection of articles, case studies and best practices for small and medium-sized enterprises on topics ranging from basic info on patents and other kinds of intellectual property, through patent information, to building a business with intellectual property."

In addition, the website at a later date will also provide a library of material for intellectual property trainers to use.

Sources and for further information

European Patent Office - IP training website launched

ip4inno homepage - http://www.ip4inno.eu/

ip4inno - What is ip4inno

ip4inno - For SMEs

Labels: European Union, Patent News

The European Patent Organisation (EPO) has announced the accession of Croatia and Norway to the European Patent Convention (EPC). The two countries became members of the EPO on 1 January 2008.

The accession of Croatia and Norway means that there are now 34 member countries of the EPO, with patent protection obtainable in several or all of the member counties through one patent application.

"The European Patent Organisation's members now include all 27 members of the European Union, plus Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia also recognise European patents on their territory, making European patents valid in 38 countries and a market of around 570 million people."

Source and for further information

European Patent Organisation news - Croatia and Norway join the EPO

Labels: European Union, Patent News