International IP service
Protecting your trade marks, patents, designs and copyright abroad.
Thinking of trading overseas?
Intellectual property rights are territorial. You should consider getting IP protection if you want to trade overseas or sell to overseas customers via the internet. Start by developing an international strategy, identifying your markets, business goals and resources.
Protecting and managing IP abroad can be very complex. For example, you will need to decide whether:
- to file separate application in individual countries
- or make use of an international process which allows you to file in several countries at once
We strongly recommend you seek help from an IP attorney or other professional IP advisor.
Top tip
Know before you go. Wherever you want to do business, it is important that you understand the steps you should take to protect your IP before entering the market. It is a lot easier to jump over any hurdles before realising it might be too late to act. You will also need to do some research to make sure you’re not infringing someone else’s IP.
Meet the experts
Find out more and get in touch with our IP attachés.
Contact us
Still have questions about how to protect and manage your IP abroad? Please send us a query on askinternational@ipo.gov.uk.
UK overseas intellectual property attaché network
Thinking of doing business in Southeast Asia, Europe, China, Latin America, North America, Gulf States and India? Help and advice is available through our IP liaison officers (attachés).
Protecting your Intellectual Property (IP) abroad
To protect your intellectual property outside of the UK, you usually need to apply in each country you want protection in.
IP country guides
More information about managing your IP in overseas markets:
IP enforcement country guides
Updates to this page
Last updated 1 February 2024 + show all updates
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Contact us section added.
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Added new document collection to include IP attache network and Protecting IP abroad pages.
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IP enforcement in Indonesia, IP enforcement in Philippines and IP enforcement in Vietnam added.
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IP in South Korea added.
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IP in Kazakhstan added.
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Country guide: IP in Pakistan added
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Country guides: IP in Cambodia, IP in Bahrain, IP in Kuwait, IP enforcement in Laos, IP in Malaysia, IP in Oman, IP in Qatar, IP in Saudi Arabia IP in Thailand and IP in the Unite Arab Emirates added.
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IP in Canada added.
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IP in the EU and EEA added.
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IP in Australia added.
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IP in India added.
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IP in Indonesia added.
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IP in the Philippines added.
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IP in ASEAN added.
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IP in Peru added.
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IP in Singapore added.
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IP in Colombia, Vietnam and Chile added.
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First published.