26 April is the World Intellectual Property Day: “World IP Day.” This day has been proclaimed by WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) to call attention all over the world to intellectual property and the ways it encourages innovation and creativity. World IP Day 2018 is a special tribute to women inventors.
IP is YOUR business!
Establishing intellectual property rights allows you to publicize your idea safely, team up with other parties and recruit investors. If you have a good idea and want to make it work, check how you can protect your IP. Remember: IP is your business too!
Protecting IP in Belgium
There are various ways to protect your intellectual property. In Belgium you register e.g. patents and plant breeder’s rights at the "Dienst Intellectuele Eigendom" (DIE, Intellectual Property Service) of the FPS Economy. The Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP) is the official authority for registering trademarks and designs in the Benelux. The BOIP and the DIE work closely to provide entrepreneurs with clear, accessible information, enabling them to protect and use their IP optimally. For additional information, see: www.ieisjouwzaak.be
Protecting IP in the Netherlands
In the Netherlands various authorities are at your service to protect your IP. Octrooicentrum Nederland (OCNL, Netherlands Patent Office) is where you file applications for patents for the Netherlands. The Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP) is the official authority for registering trademarks, designs and drawings in the Benelux. The BOIP and the OCNL work closely with the Chamber of Commerce, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the "Raad voor Plantenrassen" [Board for Plant Varieties]. They provide clear, accessible information, enabling entrepreneurs to protect and use their IP optimally. For additional information, see: www.ieisjouwzaak.nl