[Brussels, 16 January 2019]: The European Parliament voted today to mobilise almost EUR 700 billion for additional investments across the continent and boost the growth of a new generation of innovative enterprises and SMEs. The InvestEU programme, which is part of the EU’s Multi-Annual Financial (MFF) Framework 2021-2027, brings together the various EU financial instruments currently available in order to benefit from economies of scale and to expand the Juncker Plan model.

IP Europe welcomes today’s plenary vote and congratulates the co-rapporteurs, MEP Roberto Gualtieri (S&D) and MEP José Manuel Fernandes (EPP), for successfully steering InvestEU through the European Parliament.  

Hassan Triqui, CEO, SecureIC, said: “We welcome today’s vote, which will certainly help new European companies develop and grow. The provision of focused and highly expert advisory services to startups seeking to protect their research and innovation investments, is a very exciting and useful move.”

Ruben Bonet, CEO, Fractus, said: “It is essential to have intellectual property at the core of InvestEU program for SMEs. IP and access to finance are fundamental for any SME, startup or scaleup that relies on R&D to foster competitiveness and growth. Competition is global and in Europe we need to be prepared for the next economic revolution where IP development and protection will play a key role.”

IP and access to finance are fundamental in sustaining entrepreneurs through the challenges of the start-up and scale-up phases and creating the ‘unicorns’ of tomorrow. InvestEU will help to ensure that SMEs will be supported in using their IP to raise capital to support their development and sustain growth, without being forced to sell either the company or equity to larger, potentially non-European entities.

Rosendo Garganta, CEO, Devicare, said: “R&D is the foundation for many SMEs such as ours. We know that whether SMEs have support in IP protection and portfolio development or not, can be the difference between succeeding and failing. This is why we are so positive about the European Parliament’s decision.” 

Alban Schmutz, Vice President, OVH Group, said: “Europe needs more technology companies at scale, and faster. Helping fast growing companies to engage in ambitious IP portfolio development will help them to secure their growth: we expect InvestEU to help fulfill this ambition.”

Andreas Dahlen, Director, Apollonian Venture Capital Group, said: “Supporting scale-ups to safeguard their intangible asset base is a crucial step towards cementing a vibrant European innovation ecosystem.  Today, many promising companies cannot simply afford an adequate level of protection as they seek to scale globally. The new emphasis on intellectual property, is a welcomed addition to EU’s innovation toolbox. The initiative will not only help Europe’s most innovative companies to increase their attractiveness in the eyes of the investors.”

In advance of the final adoption of the next MFF, we call upon the European Commission to extend the pilot schemes already under way, to benefit innovative companies and validate the pan-European approach of InvestEU.

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About IP Europe

IP Europe brings together R&D intensive European companies and research institutes committed to innovation, from SMEs to global enterprises and non-profit research entities operating in a variety of industrial sectors. They all share a common goal: to maintain, at all policy levels, strong patent protection for innovators and support recognized fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory standardisation policies adopted by consensus that preserve fair compensation for innovators. IP Europe supports the use of Injunctive Relief against patent infringers and free riders that rely on R&D investments made by others to earn higher profits. 

IP Europe was originally launched by Ericsson, Airbus and France Brevets. The Fraunhofer Gesellschaft participates in IP Europe in its capacity of academic advisor.

For more information, contact: 

Laura Lichinski
laural@europa-insights.com
+32 493298882