Africa IP SME Helpdesk

The Africa IP SME Helpdesk assists EU businesses by organising training events, publishing IP resources, and replying to queries on IP issues in Africa through its helpline service. Its general objective is to contribute to the internationalisation of EU SMEs by providing them with expert advice on how to protect and enforce their IP in Africa.

The specific objectives of the Africa IP SME helpdesk are to:

• improve the awareness of EU SMEs about IP rules and practices in the African market;

• improve the capacity of EU SMEs to manage and protect their IP in the African market, including developing a basic IP strategy for companies doing business in or with Africa;

• help implement this IP strategy by providing services within the competence of the Helpdesk, or by identifying and facilitating contacts with external service providers or authorities, such as IP offices, before and after EU SMEs have entered the African market;

• facilitate the strengthening of links and cooperation opportunities between EU SMEs and economic operators in the African market regarding the protection and enforcement of IPRs.

Since the Helpdesk service provides free information and advice to its users through several channels, its outputs have been allocated to the following tasks.

Task 1: provide general IP information concerning Africa online and at relevant events.

Task 2: provide individual first-line advice on IP matters in Africa in response to queries from EU SMEs.

Task 3: develop a training programme targeting EU SMEs on the use and management of IPRs in the African context.

Task 4: provide support to EU SMEs during business matchmaking events relevant to the African market.

Task 5: provide biannual reports on IP challenges faced by EU SMEs in Africa; submit data to the Anti-counterfeiting Rapid Intelligence System, and attend meetings with the EU Delegations to Africa and EU Member States’ representatives in Africa.

Task 6: communication & outreach.

The Africa IP SME Helpdesk activity will support the project’s efforts to achieve the indicators under Component III ‒ ‘Strengthen the capacities of MSMEs / productive sector on IP’ with the following key action points:

• improve the awareness and perception of the benefits of IP;

• improve access to information and transparency;

• address the untapped innovation potential and wealth of natural resources.

Working on the identified areas of intervention will add value to both the African and EU stakeholders involved in the promotion of business internationalisation, namely SMEs, Business Support Organisations (BSOs), clusters, associations, networks and Chambers of Commerce, among others. Providing support to exporting businesses will stimulate trade between the two continents while fostering the growth of investment hubs in Africa, along with the knowledge and technology transferred to local players.

The increase in trade, and subsequent increase in filings in African IPOs, will ultimately provide further resources for administrations to improve their services and for IP right holders.

According to the state of play of the relevant indicators in Component III, analysed in the Africa IP SME Helpdesk AWP3 mid-term report, the PMT has assessed the priority tasks to address during AWP4 to be the following:

• increased participation and support provided to EU SMEs during business matchmaking events relative to AWP3;

• increased number of training sessions that develop the capacity of companies to better use and protect their intellectual property in Africa relative to AWP3;

• a sharp increase in queries received and resolved.

Indeed, promotion and awareness-raising efforts, along with communications and outreach, have been consistent during the implementation of the Helpdesk. Similarly, the publication of IP documents, the submission of IP Challenge Reports, and meetings with EU stakeholders are consistently meeting the targets required.