Institute News

Scholars and practitioners interested in the economic, legal, political and managerial aspects of intellectual property rights are encouraged to attend the conference. The conference will explore how the IP systems in Europe can further growth and innovation.

EPIP is an international, independent, interdisciplinary, non-profit association of researchers that grew out of a network financed by the European Commission from 2003 to 2005. Dietmar Harhoff and Reto M. Hilty, directors at the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition, are members of the board. The objectives of the Association are to be a leading European platform for the analysis and discussion of intellectual property systems and intangible assets; to encourage research regarding economic, legal, social, political and historical aspects of intellectual property rights at national, European and international levels; and to contribute ideas, concepts and discussions that will promote innovation, productivity and growth in Europe and beyond.

 The conference will enable a small number of junior researchers from law and from economics to engage in an intensive, rigorous discussion of their own scholarly work. Several senior professors from law and from economics departments in Europe and the United States will provide feedback on the research projects.

 The Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation (Expertenkommission Forschung und Innovation - EFI) provides scientific advice to the German Federal Government and periodically delivers reports on research, innovation and technological productivity in Germany. A key task is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the German innovation system in an international comparison. Furthermore, Germany's perspectives as a location for research and innovation are evaluated on the basis of the latest research findings. EFI presents proposals for national research and innovation policy.

As of January 2014 the institute will be called "Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition". The renaming is due to the establishment of the new economic department of the institute. Prof. Dietmar Harhoff, Ph.D. , has recently founded a new economic department exploring and analyzing the determinants, outcomes and the management of innovation and entrepreneurship processes with empirical and theoretical economic research approaches. In close cooperation with the already existing departments directed by Prof. Dr. Josef Drexl and Prof. Dr. Reto M. Hilty interdisciplinary contributions to research on innovation and competition will be provided.