In a recent announcement, the European Patent Office (EPO) announced that it will be hosting a two-day conference to discuss intellectual property (IP) protection in growing markets. This seminar, entitled "Growing business with IP - winning strategies in emerging markets,” is co-hosted by Boccini University and will be held on July 17th and 18th in Milan, Italy. According to the EPO press release (link below), “[C]ompanies marketing products and services around the globe are increasingly opting for the protection afforded by patents, trade marks, design and copyrights,” and that “[t]he strategic exploitation of such rights often has a decisive impact on the competitiveness of a company and its products.” The press release further notes that this “applies particularly to European firms seeking a foothold in growth regions such as China, India and South America. Expertise in intellectual property rights not only affords a significant competitive advantage but at the same time serves as an effective weapon in the battle against counterfeiters.” As noted within the seminar website (link below), this particular seminar targets technology transfer officers, industry and industry researchers, IP and patent attorneys, small businesses, and business consultants and advisors. Additional information regarding this seminar, including the preliminary seminar program, is available at the two links below.

EPO Press Release: LINK
Seminar Website: LINK