Did you know it is World Intellectual Property Day today!

Intellectual Property: supporting equality to accelerate innovation

Law Society and IMRO celebrate World Intellectual Property Day today, 26 April 2023

 The Law Society and IMRO are celebrating Irish women inventors, creators and entrepreneurs and highlighting the importance of Intellectual Property (IP) to protect innovation and creativity on World IP Day, today, Wednesday 26 April 2023. This year, World IP Day focuses on “Women and IP: Accelerating innovation and creativity”.

Did you know it is World Intellectual Property Day today!

IMRO Adjunct Professor of Intellectual Property Law at the Law Society of Ireland Dr Mark Hyland said, “Women entrepreneurs, creators and inventors in Ireland and abroad are using their powers of innovation across so many sectors. These include technology, pharmaceuticals, the law, creative industries, beauty and fashion. It is absolutely key that Irish innovators are aware of the important protection offered by our IP system.”

What is IP and why is it so important?

Some of our most loved Irish creatives include Edna O’Brien, Chupi Sweetman and Sinéad O’Connor, but how can IP benefit Ireland’s up and coming creators and innovators?

“IP refers to creations of the mind and formal intellectual property rights (IPRs) can be used to protect such things as inventions, literary and artistic works, designs and symbols or names used in business. By using the IP system to protect their creativity and innovation, women entrepreneurs can monetise their creations, generating tangible revenue and helping to sustain and grow the relevant sector,” explained Dr Hyland.

“Certain IP can be adapted with the permission of the owner. For example, a novel can be transformed into a movie or a musical arrangement can be adapted for performance by a particular artist, set of voices or instruments. These interesting adaptations benefit society and often generate revenue for the original creator.

“Thankfully, there are a number of important IPRs available in both Ireland and the EU to help protect Irish creators. They include patents, trademarks, copyright and design rights. The existence and availability of these all-important legal rights helps incentivise creativity and innovation among Ireland’s talented entrepreneurs, creators and inventors,” said Dr Hyland.

About World IP Day

• World IP Day is celebrated every year on 26 April. The first World IP Day was celebrated by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2000.

About the Law Society of Ireland

• The Law Society of Ireland is the professional body of the solicitors’ profession in Ireland. It is committed to providing a high standard of service to our members, students, stakeholders and members of the public at all times.
• Website: www.lawsociety.ie

About IMRO

• IMRO administers the performing right in copyright music in on behalf of its members (songwriters, composers, and music publishers) and on behalf of members of the international overseas societies that are affiliated to it.

IMRO’s core function is to collect and distribute royalties arising from the public performance of copyright works. With a global scope, we represent creators along the chain of creation. At IMRO, we are committed to creators. We stand up for music and the people who make it and perform it. A community for creators, we listen, advocate, educate, invest, and engage to shape a culture of musical worth. We help music creators to adapt to change and receive full and fair return for their work.

• Website: www.imro.ie

Reflecting on this year’s World IP Day theme, Chairperson of IMRO, Eleanor McEvoy said, “The protection of intellectual property and copyright for all artists, entrepreneurs and innovators is an essential part of business. Respecting this across the board supports a well-functioning, equitable marketplace, and one that is to the benefit of society.

“As we continue to strive for a more equal and inclusive society, it is important to work to bridge the gaps in the industries we support. Ireland has an incredible pool of rising talent and World IP Day 2023 provides us with an opportunity to highlight IP protections available to our women creators and entrepreneurs.”

Learn more about IP and copyright

Dr Mark Hyland will be joined by Dr Ula Furgal, Lecturer in Intellectual Property Law, School of Law, University of Glasgow at the IMRO and Law Society Annual Copyright Lecture 2023 to explore a key aspect of EU copyright.

Together, they will discuss the theme of this year’s annual lecture, ‘The new press publishers’ right and the creation of a well-functioning marketplace for copyright in the EU’. Their focus will be on Article 15 of Directive (EU) 2019/790 on copyright and related rights in the Digital Single Market, as introduced in Ireland.

The free conference takes place at:

• 5:30pm-7pm on Wednesday 3 May 2023
• Lecture Theatre, Education Centre, Law Society of Ireland
• Advance registration is required.

For more information and to register, see: Annual Copyright Lecture 2023.

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