Intellectual property (IP), traditionally perceived as a technical issue reserved for legal experts, has become an important tool in global politics and economic strategy. This was made clear during the event held this Thursday in Brussels to mark World Intellectual Property Day, organized by the Property Rights Alliance, the Tholos Foundation, and hosted by the European People’s Party.
Throughout the day, Members of the European Parliament, academics, and representatives of international institutions said that IP is now a key part of keeping Europe competitive and protecting its economy.
“Intellectual property connects law and creativity. It’s a compass for navigating these turbulent times,” said Cezara Petruc, an officer at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), emphasizing that “it is no longer just a legal tool, but a pillar for economic growth and technological sovereignty.”
According to the organizers, the countries leading the International Property Rights Index—a global ranking of property rights protection—represent just 16% of the world’s population, but generate 60% of global GDP. This correlation, Petrucci argued, shows that “where innovation is protected, prosperity flourishes.”
China leads in volume, but not in strong protections
A major topic was the updated Trademark Index, presented for the first time at the event by Chrysa Kazakou, an international fellow at the Property Rights Alliance. In this global trademark protection ranking, China appears as the country with the highest number of applications (over eight million annually), ahead of the United States, Austria, and Italy. However, participants warned that Beijing’s numerical leadership does not mean it truly respects IP laws.
“Forced technology transfer and industrial piracy remain widespread practices in the Asian giant,” warned Philip Thompson, a trade and IP specialist at the Property Rights Alliance. In his view, “many of the tariffs imposed between the U.S. and China are justified precisely by systematic violations of property rights.”
The rise of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) poses new threats for creators. Representatives of the music industry, such as the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), warned that AI platforms are training their models using protected works, without mechanisms for control, licensing, or transparency.
“If we don’t know what content was used to train a model, we cannot exercise our rights or enter into negotiations. Without transparency, there is no market,” said Lodovico Benvenuti, European Director at the IFPI.
To address this, the EUIPO said it will release a study in May with ideas for better rules. The report will address the legal loopholes that currently allow these technologies to operate without accountability, and it will offer proposals for more effective regulation within the framework of the AI Act.
With growing concern that IP laws could be misused—especially through rules like the Digital Services Act (DSA)—Petruc argued that the legislation does not impose random blocks, but rather delegates the responsibility for determining infringements to national authorities. However, she acknowledged that “every regulation must be assessed and refined over time, especially when it touches on such sensitive issues as freedom of expression.”
Lorenzo Montanari, Executive Director of the Property Rights Alliance, declared that “IP is not an ideological issue, but the foundation of any free and competitive economy.” “The challenge is not just to protect what has been created, but to ensure that European talent has a future,” he concluded.
