Next month will see Hanover host the world's largest international trade fair in the digital industry, covering IT, telecommunications, digital media and consumer electronics.
Next month will see Hanover host the world's largest international trade fair in the digital industry, covering IT, telecommunications, digital media and consumer electronics. More than 4,000 companies from over 70 countries are expected to showcase their latest innovations from the high-tech sector at CeBIT 2014, from 10 to 14 March. This year is expected to attract particular interest with the UK as the partner country for CeBIT.
An international trade fair is a key opportunity to reach a global audience and to showcase new products and services. But it also presents a significant opportunity for those who choose to ride on the back of your investments and infringe your rights to launch competing products and target the same audience.
As such, a trade fair is often a hotbed of infringement of patents, trade marks and design rights. As one of the world's export champions and centres for trade fairs across many industries, it is no coincidence that Germany is well set up to deal quickly and effectively with infringements which do occur at trade fairs - provided that you are ready and able to act quickly to enforce your rights.
Whether or not you will be exhibiting at CeBIT this year, what steps can you take both before and during the trade fair to ensure that the threat of infringement of your IP rights is minimised?