The Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation "JEDCO" and the Industrial Property Protection Directorate at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply held a technical meeting on the first week of April to discuss possible cooperation mechanisms in the framework of “Intellectual Property Capabilities for Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth in the Mediterranean Region - IPMED” project with JEDCO as leader.

Mutaz Al-Numair, IPMED project coordinator, referred to the strategic role played by the Ministry of Industry and Trade represented by the Directorate of Industrial Property Protection in supporting policies and services related to intellectual property at the local and regional levels.

Al-Numair also stressed the importance of organizing and implementing tailor-made seminars and e-learning facilities with a two fold purpose: enhancing the capacities of public authorities and stakeholders in relation to IPR issues for improved policies and practice; and enhancing the capacities of public authorities and innovation brokers for the provision of innovative services, in addition to organizing and holding joint awareness workshops in order to reach the targeted audience whom can benefit from the project's services. 

Al-Numair added that innovative services will be selected by JEDCO in cooperation with the Intellectual Property Directorate at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply to provide them to targeted projects based on the results of the needs analysis and taking into consideration the available expertise and priorities, which focus on diagnostic and corrective services for intellectual property, technical services for technological transformations, and support research and innovation in  intellectual property projects.

He pointed out that competitive grants will be launched for developing, small and medium enterprises and young and women entrepreneurs, to get a grant of 10 thousand Euros based on a selection mechanism and criteria which will be announced on the websites of the participating partners.

Ms. Zain Al-Awamleh, the Director of the Industrial Property Directorate at the Ministry, praised the role of IPMED project and displayed the Directorate's willingness to provide all forms of support for the project from experts and facilitate communication channels to enable them to achieve its goals.

She added that this project is an effective tool for the success of creative ideas and projects, IP is a key consideration in day-to-day business decisions in the increasingly knowledge driven economy. New products, brands and creative designs appear almost daily on the market and are the result of continuous human innovation and creativity, SMEs are often the driving force behind such innovations.