We have been campaigning for fair competition with the ‘Messe Frankfurt against Copying’ (MFaC) initiative since 2006. As an information provider and contact partner, we are at your side when it comes to protecting your new developments.
What does Messe Frankfurt against Copying stand for and how can you reach us?
We take the protection of your intellectual property and your concerns very seriously. To ensure that our trade fairs can maintain their high standards of progress and creativity, Messe Frankfurt, as the organiser of international trade fairs, has introduced the ‘Messe Frankfurt against Copying’ (MFaC) initiative.
With this project, Messe Frankfurt provides an interface for you as the rights holder, the Federal Customs Administration (customs), the police, the security service and the legal emergency service.
The aim of MFaC is to bring you together with the appropriate specialists and authorities at the exhibition centre during the trade fair as quickly as possible so that you are able to take appropriate legal action immediately.
You can reach the MFaC team at any time by e-mail at againstcopying@messefrankfurt.com.
You can find further contacts under ‘Who to contact if you are at the trade fair...’
How do you protect your intellectual property before you exhibit it publicly for the first time?
In order to ensure effective legal protection against product and trade mark piracy, it is essential to find out about so-called industrial property rights, the acquisition of which generally requires entry in a register corresponding to the purpose of protection.
These rights - trade marks, patents, utility models and designs - guarantee that your intellectual property can be enforced in court in the event of an emergency. It therefore makes sense to arrange appropriate protection before you present your new developments for the first time, for example at trade fairs.
Who are your contacts in connection with the application or registration of property rights?
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.
How can you protect your intellectual property internationally?
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.
You are planning to take part in a trade fair - how can you prepare...
...if you have already acquired a registered property right?
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.
...if you have not yet acquired a registered property right?
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.
Who are your contacts if you at the trade fair....
...detect an infringement of property rights?
Contact your lawyer immediately or contact the legal emergency service. The costs of the initial consultation will be covered by Messe Frankfurt against Copying.
Phone: +49 69 75 75 12 12
E-mail: againstcopying@messefrankfurt.com
The legal emergency service is provided by:
Rechtsanwälte / Law firm of Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek PartGmbB
RA Thorsten A. Wieland (Partner)
Goetheplatz 5-7
60313 Frankfurt am Main
Deutschland
www.heuking.de
...require police assistance to resolve a conflict.
The police station is located in the Operation Security Centre in Hall 4.0 Southwest and can be contacted on +49 69 75 75-65 55.
...want to take action against unauthorised photography of your products
In this case, please contact Messe Frankfurt's security service on +49 69 75 75 33 33.
In the run-up to and during a trade fair, you can obtain no-photo stickers for your stand from the Shop for Exhibitor Services at Messe Frankfurt Venue GmbH, from the exhibition management and from the respective hall masters.
Further useful information and links
- Aktion Plagiarius e.V.
- Association of German Patent Information Centres
- Association of the German Trade Fair Industry
- Enterprise Europe Network
- European Union Intellectual Property Organisation
- German Anti-Counterfeiting Association e.V.
- German Patent and Trade Mark Office
- Intellectual Property Rights Protection Department of German Customs