On June 12, 2025, WIPO Director General Daren Tang visited Athens for bilateral talks focused on leveraging intellectual property (IP) as a driver for strengthening Greece’s innovation ecosystem, with particular emphasis on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In addition, Mr. Tang delivered a keynote speech at the International IP Enforcement Summit 2025, co-organized by the Hellenic Industrial Property Organization (OBI), the General Secretariat for Market Surveillance (DIMEA), and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), highlighting the importance of effective IP enforcement.
During his visit, Mr. Tang:
Officially opened the International IP Enforcement Summit 2025, which brought together over 350 participants and 50 speakers to address the challenges of IP protection in the digital era. Alongside Mr. Tang, prominent Greek and European leaders spoke at the summit, including Deputy Minister of Development Lazaros Tsavdaridis, EUIPO Executive Director João Negrão, Director-General Kerstin Jorna of the European Commission’s DG GROW, and Member of the European Parliament and Chair of the Committee on Legal Affairs Ilhan Kyuchyuk.
Met with Maria-Daphne Papadopoulou, Acting Director of the Hellenic Copyright Organization (HCO), for an in-depth discussion on issues such as the relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) and copyright, the training of judges on IP enforcement, and broader copyright protection efforts. The meeting also highlighted the HCO’s initiative to establish a mediation center for alternative dispute resolution in the IP sector. Ms. Papadopoulou emphasized HCO’s commitment to IP education at all levels, from primary and secondary schools to plans for introducing IP seminars at university departments linked to creative industries. To support this, HCO has already signed (and plans to sign more) memoranda of understanding with universities and higher education institutions.
Held talks with Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, Director General of OBI, and participated in an event hosted by OBI where he met with representatives of six Greek startups. Discussions focused on commercializing innovation and the IP support tools offered by WIPO. The startups – active in biotechnology, AI, sustainable materials, and deep-tech – shared their experiences and stressed the need for accessible, practical IP support.
Also met with Deputy Minister Tsavdaridis to explore the strengths of Greece’s innovation landscape and the need for tailored IP support for startups, SMEs, and innovation hubs, through tools such as WIPO’s IP Diagnostic Tool and IP Management Clinics.
https://www.wipo.int/web/director-general/w/daren-tang/news/2025/wipo-director-general-visits-greece
https://www.euipo.europa.eu/en/landing-pages/international-ip-enforcement-summit-2025