Intellectual property refers to a system for the legal protection of the creations of human intellect and creativity in the artistic, scientific and industrial fields. Intellectual property rights do not protect physical assets containing the creation or invention, but the intellectual creation itself.
The owners of intellectual property rights are granted the exclusive right to use or reproduce their creations and inventions, subject to certain conditions, and to profit from them. These immaterial and intangible assets are therefore an essential source of competitive advantage for companies abroad and for the internationalisation of the production system in a global economy based on knowledge, creativity, research and innovation.
The main intellectual property rights (copyright, trademarks, patents, industrial designs and geographical indications) are internationally recognised. However, their protection is largely left to national legislation. The resulting territorial fragmentation is one of the key challenges affecting the competitiveness of companies operating in foreign markets.