Intellectual property is a branch of law that includes all the rules applicable to "intellectual" or "intangible" creations, which are "intangible assets". In French law the intellectual property is divided into two areas, governed respectively by each of the two main parts of the French Law on Intellectual Property: literary and artistic property, on the one hand, and industrial property, on the other:
- Literary and artistic property is further divided into copyright, related rights, and sui generis database rights.
- Industrial property mainly covers trademarks, patent law (inventions), and design law.
How does intellectual property affect me? What should I know?
When a salaried researcher invents a new product or a new process, the property of that invention goes to his employer. However, the researcher is entitled to additional remuneration set by the collective agreement, company agreement, or employment contract.
To know more:
- Find out more at your host institution: in some institutions, staff with skills in this area are made available to researchers.
Further information:
- Institut national de la propriété industrielle (INPI) is the national intellectual property office of France, in charge of patents, trademarks, and industrial design rights.
- Your Europe: Information on the intellectual property rights in the European Union Commission europénne - Droits de propriété intellectuelle
- The French Law on Intellectual Property
Protection at European level can be sought at the European Patent Office.
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) additionally offers international patent protection.