The Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) , Greek partner of IPMED held the 4th awareness session on Tuesday 22nd June 2021 virtually with a total of  24 attendees representing start-ups, MSMEs, young and women entrepreneurs, consultants, patent attorneys, technology transfer offices to facilitate them access to Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), enhance commercialization, and strengthen IPR-related knowledge and awareness.

Mr. Konstantinos Moraitidis, member of the Administrative Committee of the Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) welcomed the participants and underlined the importance of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) for business.

Mr. Antonios Boumpoulas, TCCI Head of Studies and Research Department explained IPMED's mission along with its activities.

Mrs. Efi Tziva, professor of the Department of Economic and​ Commercial Law, Faculty of Law, of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, specialized in Law on Industrial Property, presented “The intellectual property rights and their importance for the modern enterprises’’.

Mrs. Tziva referred to various forms of intellectual property rights, such as trademarks, industrial designs, patents, copyrights, etc., and linked them to the Industrial Property and the Unfair and Free Competition legislation at national and international level.

She presented analytically the meaning of “trademark”, focusing on its economic function, legal nature and also on the various categories of trademarks and the procedures related to their registration. Finally, she referred to patents and copyrights, describing how they can be protected in a digital single market.

The session ended up with questions and answers.

IPMED project is implemented by a consortium of organizations where JEDCO in Jordan is the leader, and in partnership with Thessaloniki Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Greece, FILSE in Italy, Agora Institute in Spain and Tunis Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Tunisia. The project's budget is1.194 million euros, funded by the Cross-Border Cooperation Programme for the Mediterranean Basin within the European Neighborhood Instrument (ENI CBCMED), to develop small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), promote economic and social development and support innovative entrepreneurs’ projects.