The protection of Intellectual Property has long been a priority for the European exhibition industry. EEIA has been working closely with EU IP institutions on multiple projects and initiatives, and keeps working on the topic with its partners.

EEIA has joined the newly established EUIPO Working Group on IP and Competitiveness, alongside other key stakeholders at EU level. In parallel, EEIA is collaborating with the EU IP Helpdesk to update its Factsheets on IP management at trade fairs, practical tools helping both exhibitors and organisers navigate the actions required before, during, and after events to protect their IP rights.

Trade fairs are a critical platform for IP: they are where innovations are launched, new technologies and designs are disclosed, and business discussions and agreements take shape. That exposure makes IP protection not just relevant, but essential. Even more so, IP is a financial and competitive asset for EU companies, as highlighted by EUIPO Director of the Business Development Department Inge Buffolo at the Salone del Mobile 2026 in Milan, where EUIPO had a dedicated booth and was invited to talk at the “Design Futures” arena.