The IP Helpdesk[notes 1] is a project funded by the
European Commission (EC) and a source and guide to
patent information.[1] The project was launched in 1998 (at the same time as
Espacenet)[2][3] to be a central reference point for
intellectual property inquiries and advice throughout the
European Union.[4][5] The IPR-Helpdesk is a project implemented by "a European network consisting of several research institutes, law firms and consultancies."[6] It notably offers a free-of-charge enquiry service,[7] or "Helpline service", for addressing intellectual property issues, that is "targeted at researchers and European
small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) participating in EU-funded collaborative research projects."[8]
According to a 2005
OECD report, the IPR-Helpdesk "offers an example of what governments can do to help compensate for a lack of
technology transfer competence among [public research organisations (PROs)]" and "has, since 1998, played a key role in building a culture of innovation in EU countries".[9] The
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe later reported, in 2011, that the IPR Helpdesk "not only benefits EU
RTD participants, but also the wider research and SME communities".[10]
The
University of Alicante (Spain) was responsible for the FP5, FP7 and CIP IPR-Helpdesk editions from January 2001 to February 2011.[citation needed] From March 2011, a consortium formed by infeurope S.A. (a Luxembourg-based company), the Intellectual Property Institute of Luxembourg (a Luxembourg-based IP institute) and Eurice GmbH (a company based in
Saarbrücken, Germany) is in charge of the project as a result of a European Commission's
tender.[11][12]
Notes
^Also spelled "IP Helpdesk" and also known as "European IP Helpdesk" and "Intellectual Property Helpdesk". See for example Webber, Sheila (April–May 2000).
"European Developments in Intellectual Property". Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science. 26 (4). American Society for Information Science. Retrieved 5 September 2014. The European Commission has set up an Intellectual Property Rights Helpdesk on the Internet.
References
^Paul Pechan, Gert E. de Vries, Genes on the Menu: Facts for Knowledge-based Decisions,
Springer, 2005,
ISBN3-540-20178-5, p. 82.
^Kroger, Hans Christian; Tigrid, P.; Brooks, C.; Church, C. (2000). Annuaire Europeen 1998 / European Yearbook 1998 (in French). Vol. 47. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. p. 122.
ISBN9041115382.
^Shahid Alikhan, R. A. Mashelkar, Intellectual Property and Competitive Strategies in the 21st Century, Kluwer Law International, 2004,
ISBN90-411-2119-6, p. 204.
^"¿Qué es el IPR-HELPDESK?" [What is IPR-HELPDESK?] (in Spanish). Instituto Valenciano de Competitividad Empresarial (IVACE). Retrieved 5 September 2014.
^Hoeren, Thomas.
"Research Projects". Universität Münster. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
^"New consortium behind IPR Helpdesk"(PDF). European RTD Insight, British Council online bulletin. UK Research Office, British Council. April 2011. pp. 6–7. Archived from
the original(PDF) on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
^"services". European IPR Helpdesk. European Commission. Retrieved 5 September 2014.