What do EU citizens think about the value of intellectual property? Do they respect intellectual property rights and are they aware of the damage done by infringing them? The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has the answers to those questions.
The same questions were asked in a large-scale survey in 2013 and 2017. The most recent study (2020) confirms that, as in 2013 and 2017, respondents across Europe recognise the value of intellectual property: the vast majority of citizens believe that the rights of those who invest time and money in innovation should be protected and that they should be paid for their work. Furthermore, it appears that the attitude of EU citizens’ to intellectual property is gradually changing:
As in 2017, the value of protecting intellectual property is almost universally recognised by people in Europe, although few see the benefits of it for people like themselves. Although protecting intellectual property is generally seen as something that of interest to famous performing artists and large companies in particular, the number of people who realise that creators of any artistic content gain by protecting their intellectual property has doubled. (Source: EUIPO)
It is also the case that the more familiar people are with the concept of intellectual property rights, the less likely they are to infringe them. This shows just how important it is to raise citizens’ awareness of the value of intellectual property.
BOIP disseminates information to citizens and entrepreneurs
Providing information on intellectual property is an important part of BOIP’s statutory remit, BOIP being the official body for registering trademarks and designs in the Benelux. We work closely with the official authorities of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg to fulfil that remit. We are available to answer questions on intellectual property from business people, students, legal professionals and any other interested party. We also dispense information proactively, through our on-line consultation sessions and webinars for instance, and provide various tools that enable entrepreneurs to gauge and manage their intellectual property themselves.
Would you like to know more about how EU citizens perceive intellectual property? If so, you can find the complete EUIPO study here.
(Source: https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/en/web/observatory/ip-perception-2020)