IP infringement a major threat to EU SMEs
Infringement of intellectual property rights (IPR) is a major risk for the profitability and survival of small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), according to a joint report by the EUIPO, through the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The report ‘Risks of Illicit Trade in Counterfeits to Small and Medium-Sized Firms’, released on Tuesday 31 January also shows that SMEs whose intellectual property is violated are 34 % less likely to survive after 5 years.
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