Greater collaboration between the UK and Switzerland on IP

This declaration signals the importance of co-operation between the offices, and will see focus on sharing of best practice in areas of mutual interest.

The two offices have set out a range of activities for closer co-operation, with a view to modernising and enhancing services for IP users in both jurisdictions.

The sharing of expertise and know-how between the offices is a key pillar of the planned co-operation. The declaration provides for the potential secondment of staff between the two offices to enhance skills and knowledge, pooling their know-how for mutual benefit. It will help both offices embrace the global challenges and opportunities presented by emerging and future technologies, for the benefit of the wider IP community.

The UK IPO’s Chief Executive Tim Moss said:

Working effectively with global partners in areas of common interest is vital to the UK IPO’s strategy for creating a world-leading IP environment.

Both the UK and Switzerland are innovation nations and science powerhouses. The IPO and SFIIP share many of the same customers with similar needs, showing the clear benefits of this new declaration. This lays the foundations for a positive framework for both offices to pool and develop knowledge and expertise, and I am excited by the benefits this will help deliver to the IP users and communities our offices serve.

The Offices will carry out the cooperation activities in full compliance with their respective jurisdictions, institutional directives, applicable laws, and international treaties.

Note to editors:

Cooperation under this new declaration may include:

• exchange of experiences, knowledge and expertise on programmes, tools, platforms and policies on the promotion, utilisation, exploitation and commercialisation of intellectual property;
• exchange of information on the development of public awareness programmes on intellectual property rights, including programmes that are applicable to youths and students;
• exchange of officials and experts; conduct of joint training activities, seminars, workshops and programmes on intellectual property, especially in the areas of artificial intelligence and IT innovation;
• organisation of symposia and conferences on subject matters of mutual interest;
• exchange of information and views on regional and international policy developments and trends of mutual interest