UFI continues to advocate all reasonable efforts regarding the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR). UFI has continually stated this position. Examples of UFI’s proactive efforts are reflected in a joint agreement signed between UFI and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) in November of 2006, and the recent publication of “UFI Recommendations for the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights at Exhibitions”.

IPR attention and enforcement are now at the forefront of the industry. Efforts to penalize violators are taking place at trade shows worldwide, e.g. recently, during CeBIT in Hanover. A statement by a Hanover Police representative was very clear, he said, IPR violators “…should have known this and expected the raids.” Exhibition organizers in Germany, for example, inform their exhibitors in advance about the protection of IPR. In many other countries also, joint initiatives have been raised to protect innovations and unique models during trade shows.

The protection of the intellectual property rights of an individual and/or company is a matter of business ethics in addition to a matter of law. UFI members acknowledge this responsibility as a part of their agreement to the association’s Code of Ethics. More companies are taking vigorous action to protect their products and the adverse impact on their business from IPR violations. The exhibition industry must assist exhibitors with information about means available to protect their IPR, so that trade shows will remain the number one market place for innovations and unique products. UFI and its members around the globe additionally advocate reasonable and fair means to support the identification of violators who are harming this important business platform.

The exhibition organizer has a specific role to play, which is detailed in the “UFI Recommendations for the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights at Exhibitions”.

UFI President, Cliff Wallace, stated, “let us recognize that this is a global issue and work together to make this challenge less and less an issue for our great industry. UFI members will continue to encourage and lead in the education process by properly notifying exhibitors to the risk of penalty and embarrassment if there are violations.”