Are you aware of IPEuropAware?


Until today, the IPKat was not aware that there was a European-wide effort aimed at helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) protect their intellectual property, and certainly had no idea that such a thing might be based in Alicante.  The existence of the (rather clunkily-named) IPEuropAware was, however, brought to his attention by this announcement from the UK IPO dated today (26 January).  The announcement says in part,
"IPeuropAware is holding its next [Implying that there have been previous ones?] free intellectual property rights event for SMEs on Wednesday 27 January 2010 at Manchester United’s Old Trafford Stadium. 
The event aims to ensure local businesses recognise the value and importance of IP, and are aware of the help that is available to protect them. The day will focus in particular on the textiles, clothing, footwear and leather industries. 
All attendees will receive a new guide; tailored to these industries is packed full of information about IP and how businesses can enforce their rights. 
A new website, ‘InnovAccess’ will also be launched, providing free up to date information and support on all important IP matters for SMEs in Europe."
The IP minister, David Lammy, excitedly states that the event provides the perfect platform to give SMEs access to free, local and expert advice on intellectual property and how they can exploit their assets and creativity. Mr Lammy thinks it’s great to know that this opportunity is available to people and that they are being shown how to use their statutory rights to benefit their business, their customers and the economy.

The IPKat tends to agree, but wonders how many SMEs will be able to respond to the announcement and get themselves to Old Trafford by tomorrow. He also wonders if any patent attorneys will be there, but suspects that they might have been left out of this particular loop.

More exciting (to some) things happening at Old Trafford here and here.
Are you aware of IPEuropAware? Are you aware of IPEuropAware? Reviewed by David Pearce on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 Rating: 5

1 comment:

  1. At least one of your readers has also just become aware of this - the webmaster for the IP Awareness Network (IPAN) at ipaware.net. IPAN now has over 50 member organisations primarily based in the UK and all interested in improving the still patchy knowledge and understanding amongst policy makers, commerce and industry. The representatives include officers of member organisations as well as IP specialists. Somewhat ironically, we will be holding one of our quarterly meetings at the CIPA offices in Chancery Lane tomorrow morning [not quite up to Old Trafford of course!] to review activities in the education, finance and parliamentary sectors. One of our aims is to help join up the myriad different IP awareness activities underway in the UK - the overall resources being invested separately are large and would be much more likely to succeed if better coordinated! We wish IPeuropAware and their new website every success in reaching SMEs and will be hoping to work in conjunction with them! Rather more notice would be useful of course and we would have plugged the event in our own web diary!

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