INFO FOR THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION

The trade in counterfeit products constitutes one of the most significant criminal phenomena facing companies and, in particular, impacts those who invest in creativity, innovation and research.

For this reason, Fiera Milano cooperates with EUIPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office) in order to raise awareness among exhibiting companies on the issue of intellectual property. Fiera Milano thus chooses to become a leading player by personally making a commitment in this sense, since it is aware that trade fairs have always been considered privileged platforms for Research & Development, innovation and for the launch of new products. In particular, start-ups and SMEs represent the majority of exhibitors at trade fairs in Europe.

In doing so, Fiera Milano may also implement, for the first time in the national and European exhibition context, the agreement signed in June 2022 between EUIPO, EMECA, the European association of large exhibition centres and UFI, the global association of the trade fair industry, which provides for the European IP protection agency, offering its expertise through communication, webinars and activities for raising awareness in order to increasingly educate stakeholders and bring greater understanding of why it is essential to protect one’s intellectual property.

EUIPO has in fact made available for EMECA and UFI members information and dissemination material (videos, brochures, direct links on product websites) to help raise awareness of IP, in particular by promoting the Fund dedicated to SMEs, for a value of 27,1 million euro, aimed at providing financial support to European companies interested in registering their trade marks and designs at the national, European and international level. This initiative is supported by the European Commission in cooperation with national and regional EU intellectual property offices.

At the national level, in Italy, the Italian Patent and Trademark Office (UIBM) of the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy operates, which has always been alongside national companies and research centres. At the beginning of 2022, UIBM and CFI (Comitato Fiere Industria - Association of Industrial Trade Fair Organisers) signed an agreement with the aim of making companies attending trade fairs aware of the issues of valorisation and protection of industrial property rights as well as the importance and problems of the counterfeiting phenomenon.

For more information on the Fund: https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/it/online-services/sme-fund