What are intellectual property rights?
The protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) is crucial to foster investment in research and development, while promoting creativity and fair competition.
Intellectual property rights types
Intellectual property rights refer to legal protection granted to creators and businesses for their inventions, artistic works, brands, and designs.
There are several types of intellectual property rights.
Patents protect new inventions and technological advancements.
Design rights secure the unique appearance of products.
Trademarks safeguard brand names, logos, and symbols.
Geographical indications defend the names of products linked to a specific location.
Copyrights cover literary, artistic and creative works.
Trade secrets are confidential information giving enterprises a competitive advantage.
These rights ensure that individuals and companies can benefit from their innovations and prevent unauthorised use of these by others.
Intellectual property rights in the EU
When businesses can protect their intellectual assets, they are more likely to invest in research and development, strengthen brand recognition and attract investment.
Patents, trademarks and copyrights help businesses stay competitive, while ensuring fair market conditions.
Economic impact
IPR-intensive industries generate approximately 45% of the EU's GDP, which equates to around €6.6 trillion annually.
These industries provide employment to about 63 million people, accounting for 29% of all jobs in the EU. An additional 21 million jobs are indirectly supported through industries that supply goods and services to IPR-intensive sectors.
IPR-intensive industries are responsible for 68% of the EU's total exports, significantly contributing to the trade surplus. These sectors drive substantial investments, with 51% of all EU investments occurring in IPR-intensive industries.
For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), strong intellectual property protection provides a level playing field, supporting growth and access to global markets.
Counterfeiting and piracy
IPR also play a key role in combatting counterfeiting and piracy, protecting brand reputation and maintaining consumer trust.
The most frequently seized counterfeit items include games, toys, recorded CDs/DVDs, labels, tags, stickers and packaging materials, constituting nearly 75% of all detained products.
In 2023, EU authorities seized approximately 152 million fake items at external borders and within the internal market, with an estimated value of €3.4 billion equivalent to a 68% increase from 2022.
How the EU protects intellectual property rights
As digital transformation accelerates and new technologies reshape industries, intellectual property rights remain essential for innovation and economic growth in Europe.
The EU has developed a comprehensive legal framework to protect intellectual property and ensure consistent enforcement across member states.
The Council of the EU acts as co-legislator, together with the European Parliament.
This means ministers from all members states exchange views on IPR-related proposals made by the European Commission in order to reach agreement on a common position. Following the ordinary legislative procedure, the Council then engages with the European Parliament in negotiations to find a common agreement in view of the final adoption of the legislative acts.
Last review: 2 June 2025