DESCRIPTION 

The European Union Action Plan on Intellectual Property, as published in November 2020, announces as its main target ‘to help companies, especially small and medium-sized companies (SMEs), to make the most of their inventions and creations and ensure they can benefit our economy and society’. Following suit, the EUIPO Strategic Plan 2025 focuses on SME-related initiatives, including the ECP6 Working Group ‘Supporting SMEs’ and its IP Pro Bono scheme, at which ECTA participates. Moreover, WIPO’s theme of the World Intellectual Property Day – 26 April 2021 was ‘IP & SMEs: Taking your ideas to market’. ECTA, having recognised the need to keep up with the rapid developments in the SME support field, has decided to create the SME Task Force, which is composed of both experienced and enthusiastic members, keen to take part in projects aiming to empower SMEs in the complex field of Intellectual Property. 

MISSION STATEMENT 

The SME Task Force (SME TF) aspires to set the foundations of an extrovert ECTA SME policy. Indeed, ECTA, through its expert members in intellectual property, many of whom are SMEs themselves, is in an excellent position to understand and assist SMEs in utilizing IP rights to achieve their business goals. The main task of the SME TF is to closely follow all SME-supporting initiatives of the European Union from the scope of intellectual property and provide input to ECTA’s Board and Supervisory Board to help shape ECTA’s views and possible actions towards SME initiatives.