Protecting intellectual property rights (IPR) overseas

Since the rights granted by a U.S. patent extend only throughout the territory of the United States and have no effect in a foreign country, an inventor who wishes patent protection in other countries must apply for a patent in each of the other countries or in regional patent offices. Almost every country has its own patent law, and a person desiring a patent in a particular country must make an application for patent in that country, in accordance with the requirements of that country. Similarly, local laws apply to trademark, copyrights, and other forms of intellectual property in each jurisdiction.

IPR Toolkits

IPR Toolkits provide detailed information about protecting and enforcing intellectual property rights in specific markets, along with contact information for local IPR offices abroad and U.S. government officials available to assist you. The information provided in them by no means constitutes legal advice, and should not be a substitute for advice of counsel. Their intended purpose is to provide an overview. Two of the most recent IPR Toolkits are available below. Additional toolkits are available at StopFakes.gov, the U.S. government’s one-stop shop for tools and resources on IPR.

General information on protecting your IPR overseas

 

IP protections in the UK