The outcome of intellectual effort is recognised in national and international law and conventions as an intellectual property right enabling the protection of certain intangible assets. The holder of an intellectual property right is allowed a monopoly of use for a limited time period in a specific geographical area.

Results obtained from research, development or innovation projects by companies of any size or by public research organisations could, if the intellectual property rights are not protected, be counterfeit by competitors. It is therefore crucial to use all means of intellectual property protection available in order to make sure that the company or the public research organisation concerned can keep its competitive advantage and its competitiveness. It is also a way of increasing a company’s value.

Furthermore, unless protected, the efforts invested and the results obtained by a research, development and innovation process may swiftly be imitated or copied - or even counterfeited - by competitors.

Intellectual property may take different forms. A distinction is made between:

• industrial property, which notably includes patents, trademarks and designs
• literary and artistic property, which includes copyright and related rights

This section provides basic information on the different intellectual property rights and explains the registration process for each one. 

An innovation that can be protected by intellectual property rights often stems from an original idea whose existence on a certain date it may one day be necessary to prove. The i-DEPOT, service offered by the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property responds to this need. 

Several services providing advice and support on the subject of intellectual property exist to guide you through the procedures.

Lastly, specific financial aids exist to support the exploitation of intellectual property rights in Luxembourg.