In the past 5 years the EU legislator has issued a remarkable number of new acts regulating access, sharing and re-use of private and public data, implementing an ambitious agenda to foster the development of the EU data economy and setting clear directions for the future. While being directly touched by the process, intellectual property and its interplay with data regulations have been partially sidelined by policymakers. The EPIP conference will be a perfect forum to take stock of the most recent innovation in the field and explore with a multidisciplinary approach the main trends and challenges raised by the new data economy.

The EPIP 2024 focus allows for the presentation on a range of issues. We encourage you to submit papers addressing the overarching theme of the conference, including – but not limited to – the following issues, in all fields of IP:

• IP and the new data legislation
• Impact of data and new technologies on IP law, the economics of IP and IP management
• IP systems as actors shaping the new data economy and digital markets
• Impact of IP on data and AI innovation 
• Tension between free flow of data, data sharing and IP exclusivity: access to data versus protection of data
• Potentials of data in fostering the role of IP for creativity and innovation
• Patent and copyright data infrastructures: opportunities and challenges

In addition, and in line with the EPIP tradition, we invite submissions on a wider range of additional leading topics and themes, including but not limited to

• The role of IP in shaping sustainable innovation systems

– Sustainable Development Goals and IP
– IP and green innovation
– IP and the circular economy
– IP and sustainable business models
– IP and sharing models
– Future sustainable IP and innovation systems
– IP, innovation and future health policies

• IP, diversity and inclusion

– Disability within IP
– IP and access to culture and science
– IP and non-discrimination
– Cultural/creative diversity and IP
– Gender gap in IP and innovation
– IP, races and minorities
– Extending or limiting IP exemptions?

• The impact of new technologies on IP law

– IP and the digital reform in the EU
– The interplay between platform regulation and IP
– Business models and IP strategies for digital business
– Copyright management in the digital society
– IP in the metaverse
– Virtual markets and IP infringement and enforcement
– The changing world – new (or no) space for IP?
– Rethinking IP law for new technologies
– Human-centric or machine-centric IP system?
– Virtual markets and IP infringement and enforcement

• IP costs and benefits: time for revolutionary changes?

– IP overprotection and overlaps
– IP as an incentive or disincentive for innovation?
– Open innovation
– IP and human rights
– Innovation and Creativity without IP
– IP and global inequality

• The interfaces between IP, innovation and regulatory systems

– Relevance of IPRs in the practice of regulatory agencies
– IP law as a regulatory system
– IP quality, safety and standardization
– The changing litigation landscape in Europe
– The role of IP offices in IP and innovation ecosystems
– The economic value of IPRs
– Strategic management of IP
– Markets for technologies
– IP for SMEs

As in previous editions, the EPIP 19th Annual Conference will host Special Sessions open to submissions. Applicants interested in applying for a special session should indicate it during the submission process by ticking on the relevant box. Please note that the deadline for submissions is the same as for the entire event (30 April 2024), but applications will be processed and evaluated separately from the regular submission system.

The first two Sessions are organized by WIPO. Submissions admitted thereto might be eligible for conference participation support (e.g., travel and conference fees). Support will be given on a limited budget basis and giving priority to contribution from developing countries.

• WIPO Sponsored EPIP 2024 Special Session on “How can IP contribute to industrial and innovation policymaking?”
• WIPO Sponsored EPIP 2024 Special Session on “The impact on new technologies on creativity and new content supply in the age of AI”
• Special Session on “The uneven geography of standards”
• Special Session on “Lawful access in EU (copyright) law”
• Special Session on “Putting IP Policy into practice – from IP Policy to IP and innovation management in the 21st century”

– For more information see the Special Sessions page –

Next to individual submission, EPIP 2024 invites applications for a limited number of themed sessions on any relevant topic. Proposals should be submitted through the submission platform and will be subjected to a review and selection process. Preferences will be given to themed sessions addressing EPIP 2024 leading themes and topics.

You have two options:

• Closed session. You can propose a session that already identifies chair/organizer(s) and all speakers. In this case, you are expected to submit (a) a 350-word abstract describing the overarching theme of the session and (b) a file containing a general abstract and the list of papers presented (indicating authors, title and abstracts)
• Session open to external submissions. You can also propose a session where no or only some of the speakers are already identified, and you would like to host papers selected through the regular submission process by the EPIP 2024 Organizing Committee. In this case, you are expected to submit (a) a 350-word abstract describing the overarching theme of the session and, only if some speakers are already included, (b) a file containing a general abstract and the list of papers presented.

The organizing committee reserves the right to modify proposed sessions in the final program based on accepted contributions.

The following submission formats are allowed:

• Abstracts (up to 350 words)
• Extended abstracts (up to 3000 words, footnotes included, bibliography excluded)
• Full papers

Please note that full-paper submissions which discuss the topic in a more detailed fashion will be privileged over extended abstracts, and extended abstracts will be privileged over abstracts. The same system is used for uploading submissions regardless of their size and format.

Please indicate whether your submission is also eligible for the EPIP 2024 Young Scholar (PhD) Award.

– For more information see the Submissions page –

– 30 April 2024: Applicants must submit their abstract, extended abstract or full paper via the online submission system.

– 1 June 2024: Results on admissions/rejections announced.

Accepted applicants (only main/corresponding authors) are requested to confirm their participation by

• Sending an email to submissions@epip2024.eu by 14 June 2024
• Register to the conference and pay the Early bird fee by 30 June 2024. Co-authors, if any, will have time to register until before the conference.

Information on Early Bird, PhD and Regular Fees will be published by 1 June 2024 on https://epip2024.eu/registration/, when also the registration platform will be opened. Note that the fees will be in line with or below those of previous EPIP conferences.

The EPIP Association supports young researchers at the beginning of their academic careers by awarding two Young Scholars Awards for the best full papers submitted by PhD students in economics/management and law. Eligible submissions should indicate whether the paper should be considered for the competition by ticking the relevant box in the submission page.

– For more information see the Young Scholars Award page –

The EPIP association supports PhD students by offering them reduced conference registration fees. A PhD workshop will be held on the afternoon of Tuesday 10 September 2023, as part of the annual conference, at no extra cost for all registered students.

– For mor information see the PhD Workshop Page –