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European Innovation Council

EIC & EU IP Helpdesk & ACCESS2EIC network: IP training for EIC NCPs

  • Training and workshops

This training session, jointly organised by Access2EIC, the European IP Helpdesk and the EIC, is designed to equip EIC National Contact Points (NCPs) with practical knowledge and tools to better support applicants and beneficiaries in the management of intellectual property within Horizon Europe and EIC actions. Through a combination of expert presentations, practical examples and interactive Q&A sessions, participants will gain insights into key IP-related concepts such as background, foreground and sideground, IP protection mechanisms, freedom to operate or dissemination and exploitation of the project results. The programme will also explore concrete pathways from research to market, including the strategic use of patents, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights, while highlighting common pitfalls identified through the European IP Helpdesk’s advisory experience. The training concludes with a dedicated session on the resources, services and best practices available to NCPs to help applicants strengthen the IP dimension of their EIC proposals and projects.

  • innovation
  • Tuesday 2 June 2026, 14:00 - 17:00 (CEST)
  • Brussels, Belgium

Programme

  1. 2 Jun 2026, 14:00 - 14:15 (CEST)
    Welcome and objectives by EIC Team
    • Opening remarks from EISMEA – Access2eic
    • Overview of objectives for the training
    • Presentation of speakers from the European IP Helpdesk
  2. 14:15 - 14:45 (CEST)
    Key IP concepts for EIC proposals and projects
    • Background, foreground and sideground, how to manage them, concrete examples
    • Protection activities per IPR and the general obligation to protect

    (Michele Dubbini, Head of Training EU IP HD)

  3. 14:45 - 15:15 (CEST)
    IP management in Horizon Europe & EIC actions
    • IP management in EIC Pathfinder, Transition and Accelerator, and example from EUIP Helpdesk Helpline’s anonymised cases
    • What to consider when drafting an EIC proposal
    • What is FTO and why it is important to consider it any stage of the project
    • General obligations and rules by the Grant Agreement, dissemination and exploitation. Where can we find topics like ownership, access rights and how to deal with them.
    • Open Science obligations in Horizon Europe and the principle “open ≠ unprotected”
    • Practical pitfalls from the European IP Helpdesk Helpline’s experience

    (Manuel Sanchez Salom, EU IP Helpdesk acting Head of Helpline)

  4. 15:15 - 15:25 (CEST)
    Q&A with the EIC Project Officers
  5. 15:25 - 15:35 (CEST)
    Coffee break
  6. 15:35 - 16:15 (CEST)
    From lab to market and IP protection
    • Patents vs trade secrets vs mixed strategies
    • Concrete case example of protection of a technology from R&D to Commercialisation with multiple IPRs (copyright, patents and trade secrets) (Case Tbd, dealing with Software and Computer implemented inventions).

    (Michele Dubbini, Head of Training EU IP HD)

  7. 16:15 - 16:25 (CEST)
    Q&A
  8. 16:25 - 16:45 (CEST)
    Supporting applicants: tools, resources & best practices for NCPs
    • Mandate and scope of the IP Helpdesk
    • How the EU IP Helpdesk already supports Pathfinder-type projects
      • Typical IP questions at early TRLs
      • How these are addressed in practice
      • What Project Officers can realistically expect
    • How NCPs can guide applicants in building stronger IP sections

    (Claire Fritz, EU IP Helpdesk coordinator)

  10. 16:45 - 17:00 (CEST)
    Final Round of Q&A and Wrap-Up

Practical information

When
Tuesday 2 June 2026, 14:00 - 17:00 (CEST)
Where
Thon Hotel EU
Rue de la Loi/ Wetstraat 75, 1040 Brussels, Belgium
Languages
English