Protecting your intellectual property abroad

The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has produced a range of country-specific guides to help you protect and manage your intellectual property (IP) abroad.

They describe the issues you may face with IP infringement, how to deal with them and where to find sources of further help.

Country guides currently available are:

• Brazil
• China
• India
• Republic of Korea
• South Africa
• Turkey
• United States of America
• Vietnam

Find out more about protecting intellectual property.

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

Get help with protecting your IP overseas

Protecting and managing your IP abroad can be very complex. If you plan on selling, distributing, manufacturing, or sourcing your products abroad, you should seek help from an IP attorney or a professional IP adviser. 

UK overseas intellectual property attaché network
For complex issues or detailed advice on IP overseas, you can contact one of the IPO's IP liaison officers (attachés) operating in key export markets. Find contact details for IPO's attachés.

The attachés can advise you on the legal and enforcement options you might have and may signpost you to additional support or legal advice in relevant markets.

Businesses in Northern Ireland can also contact Invest Northern Ireland for help with IP protection.