Intellectual Property (IP) is big business, with the United
States' private investment into these assets reaching almost $1.4 trillion USD in 2022 alone. Yet IP is not
just for the rich and famous – or the infamous.
Independent innovators are the lifeblood of economic progress, and
this month, the European Patent Office (EPO) has taken steps to
reduce its fees for these enterprises. We also see how ill-famed
names are barred from trademark registration and a proposed law to
force artificial intelligence (AI) creators to come clean on
copyrights.
Patents in Europe: improving access and affordability
Last month, we covered the continuing growth of filings at the EPO, as
total patent applications rose 2.9% during 2023 to a record
199,275. On top of this impressive figure, the Unitary Patent
option displayed strong uptake during its first seven months of
availability. Hence, unitary effect was requested for 17.5% of all
patents granted by the Office last year, despite
