IP - or "intellectual property" - is the cornerstone of the protection of creativity. Great ideas can only survive if designers are sure that they are protected from others copying them wholesale. There are many different types of protection for different things; from design rights for products and copyright for artworks, literature and music, to brand trademarks and patents for inventions.

PLEASE NOTE THAT - OWNING TO THE GENERAL ELECTION - THIS EVENT WILL NOW BE TAKING PLACE ON WEDNESDAY 15TH JANUARY, 2020

The Design Council have noted that it is common for a single product to have more than one type of protection. Consider an Aero chocolate bar as an example. A simple thing, but full of IP. The name AERO will be a trademark, the shape of the bar might be protected as a registered design, the artwork on the packaging might be protected by copyright or designs, and that clever way they put the bubbles inside used to be covered by a patent.

The roundtable, led by APDIG Chair, Barry Sheerman MP, will bring together leading figures from the design and business world. After heading from senior industry figures, participants will then discuss the core themes on the subject of IP protection and how the modern industrial strategy can help to promote sustainable growth and upscaling of innovative British companies.

Key topics are likely to involve:

• Developments in IP protections and regulations
• Challenges and opportunities presented by Brexit
• IP as a key element in driving new trade deals and markets
• How the modern industrial strategy can encourage innovation in business development
• Examples of best practice from other countries

Participants will include the Design Council, GovGrant, the Design Business Association, and Anti Copying in Design. 

The event will bring together key stakeholders and will feed into a report detailing the main issues raised, as well as key policy recommendations for the future. This will be shared with leading Parliamentarians and Government figures, with a particular focus on HM Treasury, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Following the event, a full write-up and term paper will be prepared and circulated to relevant stakeholders. Parliamentarians will also be encouraged to raise any relevant issues with policy makers, either during Question Periods, or via written questions and raised debates.

Bookings will be made available in the coming weeks. For more information in the meantime, please contact APDIG Manager, jack.tindale [at] policyconnect.org.uk (subject: RE%3A%20Design%20and%20the%20Future%20of%20Intellectual%20Property%20Rights) (Jack Tindale).