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Protecting your UK intellectual property abroad

To protect your intellectual property outside of the UK, you usually need to apply in each country you want protection in.

Intellectual property (IP) rights are territorial. They only give protection in the countries where they are granted or registered.

If you only have UK protection, others may be allowed to use your IP abroad without infringing your rights.

The guides below contain information on European Union Trade Mark, Patent Cooperation Treaty, European patent application, Registered Community Design.

If you are thinking about trading abroad then you should consider registering your IP rights abroad.

Some countries may allow you to extend your United Kingdom (UK) protection, and accept it as protected in that country after completing certain local formalities.

The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) provides a list of all national IP offices. WIPO also provides a range of services for businesses looking to protect their IP internationally.

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Published 6 December 2023