Taking on the world
Adam Williams sets out the key themes that will guide the IPO’s international engagement.
Back in 2019, the UK IPO contributed an article to the CITMA Review that looked to the future for our international work and the role of our IP attaché network.
Needless to say, at the time we wrote that story, we hadn’t anticipated the disruption caused by a global pandemic or the need to mobilise our excellent attachés to, at times, support response efforts that ranged from procuring PPE to repatriating British nationals stuck overseas.
However, we have remained undeterred in our efforts to support UK rightsholders around the world and, despite the challenging environment, we’ve had many successes through our international engagement.
As we look ahead to what we can achieve in 2023, I wanted to take this opportunity to outline our priorities and share my reflections on how we can work together to have the greatest impact for UK rightsholders on the global stage.
We have a hard‑earned and well‑deserved reputation as a leading IP office with both UK industry and our international partners.
Our goal is to use this reputation to help create an international IP environment that maximises the benefits of innovation, creativity and science for the UK economy and wider society. To achieve this, we’ve set out four key themes to steer our international engagement efforts.
1. Boosting the UK’s competitiveness
In order to maximise the benefits of the UK’s IP‑intensive economy, it will be vital that the IPO supports UK exporters and helps to shape international IP systems that work for UK businesses.
We are helping to secure the UK’s competitive advantage by supporting UK businesses to develop, protect and commercialise their IP in overseas markets.
Last year, we updated and professionalised our business support work into the new International IP Service – a comprehensive resource ranging from country‑specific IP guides right through to direct business support from our network of IP attachés.
IP enforcement is also a major part of our international efforts to improve outcomes for UK rightsholders.
In delivering our IP Counter‑Infringement Strategy (2022–2027) we will continue to work with partners around the world to improve IP enforcement capability.
For example, in October six Brazilian Public Prosecutors came to the UK to learn how we tackle IP crime.
These prosecutors returned to Brazil to expand that country’s “Operation 404” IP enforcement programme, which has already resulted in seizures of physical counterfeits and the taking down of infringing websites valued at over £50m.
2. Contributing to the UK’s trade ambitions
Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) have become an increasingly important part of the IPO’s work. Our role is to help secure the best outcomes on IP in UK FTA negotiations.
Beyond FTAs, we also continue to seek positive IP outcomes at the World Trade Organization (WTO), including at the WTO Trade‑Related Aspects of IP Rights (TRIPS) Council.
At the time of writing, the UK is engaged in negotiations with a number of its priority trading partners, including Parties to the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans‑Pacific Partnership, India, Switzerland, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Mexico and Canada, with more talks on the horizon in 2023.
Through these trade negotiations we aim to bring other trading partners’ standards closer towards the UK’s high standards, in order to promote and support trade, innovation, creativity and growth.
3. Building a new relationship on IP in Europe
The UK has left the EU, but not Europe. Europe will, of course, remain a major marketplace for UK products, ideas and services.
The IPO is building new strategic relationships on IP with our European partners.
For instance, we have already begun a programme of engagement with our bilateral partners in Europe, including meetings with Germany, Ireland and an enhanced engagement with the Swiss IP office.
In establishing our new role and relationships in Europe, I’m delighted to say that we have also recruited a new IP attaché, based in Brussels.
This position will be central to progressing our network across not only the EU institutions but also the business community within the UK’s largest trading partner and with individual EU Member States.
4. Acting as a global IP leader
I am very proud to say that we are widely recognised as one of the best IP offices in the world, due to the UK’s world‑class IP system and the quality of our rights‑granting services; and as an employer.
Our ambition is to be an active, well‑informed and trusted partner that leads the way in global IP fora and is open to sharing our expertise and learning from others.
For example, our exchanges between trade mark experts with China have delivered real insight into resolving the challenges of dealing with bad‑faith trade mark applications, which is consistently the biggest concern for UK brand owners exporting to China.
I am also determined that we use our influence at WIPO to expand the impact of the global patent, trade mark and designs systems as well as providing convenient and cost‑effective solutions for UK businesses seeking to register, manage and exploit IP rights globally.
Last year we joined the WIPO Lex Judgments database, a great platform on which to showcase the UK’s excellence in IP judgments to a global audience.
Open invitation
Our network of IP attachés based in Brussels, Geneva (UN institutions), the GCC, India, South‑East Asia, China, the US and Brazil are here to support UK interests in those markets.
I am committed to ensuring that this work reflects the needs of UK businesses.
The trade mark profession is uniquely placed to understand the challenges and opportunities for rightsholders and brand owners.
Please consider this an open invitation to get in touch with the IPO’s team and the attachés to share your expertise and insights into how we can help maximise the value of export markets for UK businesses.
We have also learned that our previous business support offer was difficult to access and navigate.
We want the new International IP Service to be an easy‑access one‑stop‑shop for all potential exporters, investors and collaborators looking beyond the UK market.
I would like to encourage you to promote this offer to your clients, partners and stakeholders and also consider how we can improve our impact.
Adam Williams is CEO and Comptroller-General at the UK IPO
