Analysis of the EU report on 3D printing IP with Marks & Clerk

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The European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, has released a study analyzing the current state of 3D printing in relation to IP law.

 

In the report, the authors consider the IP implications of the development of industrial 3D printing, which the EU deems a priority technology. To fully grasp the key details of the 257-page study, 3D Printing Industry spoke with Thomas Prock, a Chartered (UK), German and European Patent Attorney for Marks & Clerk, one of the world’s foremost IP firms. Discussing the report, Prock outlines the merits of the EU study, the importance of IP rights for 3D printing, and what needs to be done to maximise IP protection for the 3D printing industry.

 

As 3D printing technology for production has continued its development over the years, the adoption of additive manufacturing for industrial applications has increased, and so have questions regarding Intellectual Property (IP) rights within the industry. The report outlines how the existing IP framework brings protection to IP rights holders, while also identifying potential challenges and steps the 3D printing industry can take to remove those hurdles. With these recommendations in place, the report claims that the competitiveness of the 3D printing sector in Europe can be improved.

Commissioned to Bournemouth University, the project was published by Dinusha Mendis, a Professor of Intellectual Property & Innovation Law at the university, alongside a core team of legal experts with expertise in IP drawn from the UK, Germany and Finland. Professor Phill Dickens of Added Scientific, was also part of the report to provide industry and business expertise. 

 

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