New developments at the IPR-Helpdesk After nine months' operations, the EU's IPR-Helpdesk has found its feet and is now becoming established among participants in EU-funded research. It is aimed at providing assistance on issues concerning the protection and exploitation of intellectual property. Some key develop... After nine months' operations, the EU's IPR-Helpdesk has found its feet and is now becoming established among participants in EU-funded research. It is aimed at providing assistance on issues concerning the protection and exploitation of intellectual property. Some key developments are outlined below. Promoting cooperation between IRCs and the IPR-Helpdesk: A workshop to discuss the possibility of ongoing cooperation between the IPR-Helpdesk and the Innovation Relay Centres was held during the 4th annual IRCs Meeting held on 10 and 11 June in Prague. This workshop, chaired by Jean-Noel Durvy, of the Commission's Innovation Directorate (DG XIII/D.1) opened with a presentation of the IPR-Helpdesk's activites, and on possibilities for cooperation with the Innovation Relay Centres. The manager of the IRC Midlands/Southwest from England then described how the IPR-Helpdesk could assist the clients of his IRC. The subsequent discussions demonstrated a clear need to develop cooperation between the two services, and the Commission will therefore establish a working party comprising representatives of both IRCs and the IPR-Helpdesk to define and coordinate cooperative activities. Over 200 IRC delegates and support staff attended the conference, representing virtually all countries with IRCs and FEMIRCs. Developing understanding of IPR issues in the new Model Contract: As deadlines for the first round of Fifth Framework Programme calls for proposals come up, interest in the new Model Contract, expected to be published imminently, is intensifying. The IPR-Helpdesk is currently preparing a booklet which examines the IPR and exploitation aspects of the new contract. Designed for ready access and maximum readability, the booklet is aimed at assisting those currently preparing or negotiating proposals for EU-supported research projects, by clarifying the rules relating to IPR, the dissemination and use of research results and the rights and obligations of participants as defined in the Model Contract. To reserve your copy, please e-mail: info@IPR-Helpdesk.org The texts of the Council Decision of 22 December 1998 on the rules for participation in FP5, and the related Commission Regulation of 11 May 1999 which adds more detail are available at: http://cordis.europa.eu/ipr-helpdesk/en/i/i407_001.htm developing a tutorial for esp@cenet users; esp@cenet, the European Patent Organisation's free patent search service is featured on the IPR-Helpdesk website. European Patent Office staff are working with the IPR-Helpdesk legal and technical teams to produce a tutorial on using the esp@cenet service. This tutorial will cover aspects such as reasons for using the service, searching in esp@cenet, and how to interpret search results. The tutorial will be completed by October 1999 and will be demonstrated at PATINNOVA'99 and the EPIDOS annual conference.
