The UK’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has launched an ambitious five year strategy setting out government plans to further bolster British innovation and the UK’s booming creative sector.

The publication ‘Making life better by supporting UK creativity and innovation’, highlights core areas of focus that will help boost economic growth and competitiveness via a world-class Intellectual Property (IP) regime. This includes:

• increasingly strong enforcement action against counterfeiters and otherIP thieves
• a dedicated programme of IP education for UK businesses and students
• a commitment to joining and shaping an EU-wide patent system that will provide improved protection for UK business across Europe

The strategy, led by Minister for intellectual property Baroness Neville-Rolfe, recognises that despite the UK’s strong IP regime, more must be done to ensure that businesses and individuals are capitalising on their creativity.

In response the IPO has been reaching out to the business community, putting on workshops and seminars explaining the importance of protectingIP rights. In the past year nearly 31,000 business have attended these sessions with 91% reporting an increase in IP knowledge.

Even a modest increase in the registration, protection, and exploitation of IPwould contribute to UK job creation and economic growth. For example firms that apply for trade marks are 7% more productive than those that do not.

The IPO’s programme of education and its commitment to digitising and streamlining the application process for all registered rights, will work to address and overcome any accessibility issues.

The strategy also recognises the important role the UK will play in delivering the Prime Minister’s vision for EU Digital Single Market in which individuals and businesses can legitimately access online goods and services regardless of nationality and location.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe, Minister for intellectual property, said:

This government is committed to making the UK the best place in Europe to innovate, patent new ideas and set up and expand a business. This strategy sets out why Intellectual Property is an essential enabler of productivity and growth.

The strategy outlines how the IPO will work to ensure that IP is accessible and understandable to all, that protection for UK rights holders is strengthened overseas, that we positively influence IP regimes across Europe, and tackle online infringement.

The UK’s intellectual property environment is making life better by supporting creativity and innovation. It is also helping to boost economic growth and competitiveness. I am proud that the UK is consistently ranked as one of the best IP regimes in the world.

From:Intellectual Property Office

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