Protecting your intellectual property abroad

Intellectual property (IP) rights are territorial. This means that UK-registered rights do not automatically give you protection in other countries.

If you protect your ideas and inventions in the UK alone, people in other territories may be able to use your IP without infringing your rights.

If you are thinking about trading abroad then you should consider registering your IP rights abroad. Some countries may allow you to extend your UK protection to their territory after completing certain local formalities.

This guide tells you how to protect your trade marks, patents, designs and copyright abroad.

It explains how extension of UK IP rights works and where you can find information on IP rights in different countries. It also highlights common IP problems when exporting.