Messe Frankfurt against Copying - an initiative to protect intellectual property

The competence of the registration authority depends on the type of IP right that corresponds to your intended purpose of protection and the extent to which the protection is to be international. You should therefore inform yourself in detail about your specific situation and which IP rights are suitable for you. With regard to German IP rights, the website of the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA), which provides a wealth of information on the registration of national IP rights, is a good place to start. Alternatively, you can contact the regional patent information centres (PIZ) as a first step. These centres provide practical assistance on all questions relating to industrial property protection and work in cooperation with the DPMA.

If you would like to protect your intellectual property beyond the borders of Germany, you will find links to the relevant registration authorities abroad as well as details on the individual property rights.

National IP rights exist and protect your intellectual property regardless of the possibility of (additionally or previously) filing international applications. For example, you can register a European trade mark or protect a design throughout the EU by contacting the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

If you would like to secure a patent throughout the EU, the European Patent Office (EPO) is your point of contact. You can find all the information you need about filing a European patent application on the EPO website.

If you already have a registered trademark or patent, you can also extend this protective right to countries outside the EU by registering an international trademark or patent with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). You can find all information on this here.

Please note: The assessment of the extent to which national or international protection of your intellectual property makes sense depends on the individual case.  If you are unsure, you should seek legal advice.

Firstly, check your property rights for their validity in terms of time and place. Industrial property rights must be registered for the country in which the respective trade fair is taking place. You should always carry original documents, certified copies or the registration numbers as proof of registered property rights with you. If there are already legally enforceable titles against the imitator, these are also indispensable as proof.

If imminent infringements of rights are foreseeable, try to clarify possible conflicts in advance. If you are unsure about how to proceed, we recommend that you seek legal advice.

You can also prevent the import and export of infringing goods at the external borders of the EU or Germany by submitting a so-called border seizure application in the event of possible or obviously imminent infringements. You can find all the necessary information on the website of the Federal Customs Administration responsible for this.

Contact the offices described above to find out whether effective legal protection for your new development is possible at short notice up to the start of the trade fair or whether preparatory measures should be initiated.