Intellectual Property Rights for SEE
The need for IPR-related support services for SMEs is based on the reasoning that the system of IPR has gained importance over the past twenty years however, SMEs seem to use this system to a much lesser extent than large firms. Reasons usually forwarded for such behaviour are primarily related to costs, enforcement issues and/or lack of awareness on IPR issues on the side of the SMEs. This overall finding deserves special attention in the SEE context: first, the rather poor performance of these countries in terms of number, e.g., of patent applications has to be noted, secondly, many analyses show that indigenous SMEs are lagging behind their Western European counterparts with regard to key business performance aspects such as productivity or struggle heavily with access to finance. The situation could be even further aggravated by country-specific aspects, e.g. the observable extent of counterfeiting activities. The project springs from this analysis and aim at increasing maturity of SMEs for intangible asset like IPR:1. Through an analysis of gaps existing between local/SMEs needs and services available, five innovative service proposals(with related tools) will be identified and implemented; 2. particularly, this new services will be organized according to innovative modalities and e-learning modules for the requalitification and updating of operators will be implemented; 3. 9 pilot actions involving about 300 SMEs, from different economic sectors, aiming at testing these new services with a specific methodology will be carried out; 4. An independent Evaluation Committee (composed by NPOs and EPO) will evaluate results according to a methodology and a set of indicators in enlarge use of new services. 5. Agreement for sustainability of those services will be signed by the partners. 6. Communication / dissemination activities, according to a detailed communication plan, in view to widen involvement and improve linkage with National and EU networks.