EUIPO and European Banking Federation to work together to help lenders understand IP-backed finance

Image: EUIPO

The European Intellectual Property Organisation (EUIPO) and the European Banking Federation (EBF) have agreed on joint efforts to focus on enhancing the financial recognition of IP rights, expanding commercial lending capacity against intangible assets, and embedding long term collaboration between the EUIPO and the EBF on the issue of IP lending.

The agreement between the EUIPO and the EBF, which was signed on 08/10/26, “combines the EUIPO's expertise in intellectual property with the practical experience and knowledge of the European banking sector, represented through the EBF's network of national banking associations,” the two bodies have said in a statement.

The agreement provides a framework for continued cooperation, with specific activities to be developed through joint work plans.

The EBF brings together 33 national banking associations as full members and 10 associate members across Europe, representing roughly 3,500 banks.

The EUIPO is the European Union body which registers IP rights across trade marks, design, and other specialised forms of IP, such as Protected Geographic Indicators for non-food products (PGIs for food and drink are administered by the European Commission). It does not cover European patents, which are overseen by a separate body, the European Patent Office, which has members from the European Union but also other states, including the United Kingdom.

Earlier this year, the EUIPO published IP-backed finance in Europe: State of Play and Future Perspectives, identifying structural barriers to the wider use of IP in accessing finance, including challenges related to disclosure, valuation, data and risk assessment.

The study was followed by the European IP-Backed Finance Roadmap, developed through cooperation with EU institutions, national IP offices, financial institutions, businesses and experts.

The agreement with the EBF represents another practical step in this ongoing effort to bring the IP and financial communities closer together, said João Negrão, Executive Director of the EUIPO, in the statement on the EUIPO/EBF agreement:

“For many of Europe’s most innovative companies, intellectual property is among their most valuable assets. Bringing the IP and financial communities closer together is essential if we want businesses to make greater use of that value. This cooperation with the European Banking Federation is another practical step in that direction.”

Sébastien de Brouwer, Deputy CEO of the European Banking Federation, commented:

“For the banking sector, having reliable information about intellectual property is essential to better understand its potential in financing decisions. Our cooperation with the EUIPO will help bring the two communities closer together, share expertise and explore how intellectual assets can better support businesses' access to finance,” said.

The EUIPO/EBF announcement is one of many from IP and financial oversight bodies signalling a fundamental shift in attitudes towards IP-backed lending.

For example, the topic has just been the subject of a High-Level Ministerial and Senior Executive Roundtable discussion on “Financing Innovation via Intangible Assets: Unlocking Growth through IP-Backed Finance,” part of the combined annual meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, held in Bangkok, Thailand.

It was organised by the EUIPO and the European Chamber of Commerce, Thailand (EBC). The EBD says: “A key takeaway was the need for stronger collaboration among policymakers, financial institutions, IP authorities and the private sector to help innovative businesses, including SMEs, unlock the economic value of their intellectual property and improve access to finance.”