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"Feel the beat of IP": DPMA celebrates World Intellectual Property Day

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'World IP Day' on 26 April focuses on music - DPMA President: "Intellectual property rights and copyright are the basis for a lively music scene" - Almost 600 inventions relating to musical instruments in the past five years - DPMA celebrates with jazz concert, online quiz and lots of exciting stories

Music and more - at the DPMA

World IP Day 2025 also brings inspiration and interesting facts to the DPMA: The Office's jazz combo will give a concert in the centre of Munich on 24 April, and on our website you will find information on music, on different instruments and, of course, on the idea of protecting musical compositions and song lyrics against unlawful use.

Press release from 23 April 2025

On World Intellectual Property Day, the President of the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA), Eva Schewior, emphasised the central importance of intellectual property rights for a vibrant musical landscape. "Music enriches our lives - and intellectual property creates the conditions for people who create music to be able to make a living from their work," emphasised the DPMA President. "IP rights and copyright provide a material basis for a diverse and innovative music scene to emerge from inspiration, creativity and expertise."

The World Intellectual Property Day was established by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) - a sub-organisation of the United Nations. This year's theme is externer Link "IP and music: Feel the beat of IP". In addition to national and regional IP offices, numerous partner organisations around the world are celebrating it with events and other activities - online and on site.

On 24 April, the DPMA will perform with its jazz combo in the centre of Munich and provide information about intellectual property. Pieces played by the jazz combo will also form the basis for a externer Link video on the office's online channels. On its website, the DPMA also offers numerous stories on the subject of music and intellectual property - including the history of technology and IP rights of probably the most important instrument in pop music: the (electric) guitar.

Economic factor: A remarkable part of EU value creation depends on copyright

Man-made pieces of music are protected against imitation by copyright law. The idea of protection on which copyright is based goes back to the time after the invention of printing (15th century). The first copyright laws were passed in Europe in the 18th century. Today copyright has significant economic value. Its commercial utilisation forms the basis for the creative industries. According to a study conducted by the European Union Intellectual Property Office and the European Patent Office (EPO) in October 2022 on IPR-intensive industries, sectors with a strong connection to copyright contributed just under seven per cent to the EU's gross domestic product between 2017 and 2019.

600 inventions for musical instruments in five years

Industrial property rights such as patents, utility models, trademarks and designs also secure the existence of the music industry and artists by protecting technical inventions, distinctive brand names and logos as well as creative designs against imitation. Among other things, the option of protecting inventions relating to musical instruments is widely used: In the past five years, the DPMA and the EPO have published almost 600 patent applications with effect in Germany in the relevant technology classes. Patent applications are usually published 18 months after filing. According to scientific studies, industrial property rights are a key factor for growth and prosperity: sectors in which many industrial property rights exist create a particularly large number of jobs and achieve higher added value than economic sectors in which this is not the case.

The German Patent and Trade Mark Office

Inventiveness and creativity need effective protection. The DPMA is the German centre of expertise for all intellectual property rights - for patents, utility models, trade marks and registered designs. As the largest national patent office in Europe and the fifth largest national patent office in the world, it is committed to Germany’s future as a country of inventors in a globalised economy. Its almost 2,800 staff based at three locations - Munich, Jena and Berlin - are service providers for inventors and companies. They implement the innovation strategies of the Federal administration and develop national, European and international IP systems further.

Picture: WIPO

Last updated: 23 April 2025