Strengthening Intellectual Property Cooperation: French INPI Director's Visit to Monaco
Pascal Faure signs memorandum to enhance collaboration on intellectual property protection.
On March 27, 2025, Mr. Pascal Faure, the Director General of the French National Institute of Intellectual Property (INPI), conducted a working visit to the Principality of Monaco, accompanied by key members of his staff, including Mr. Jérémie Fenichel, Director of Industrial Property and Businesses, and Mr. Eric Catapano, Regional Delegate for the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region within the Economic Action Directorate.
During this visit, Mr. Faure and Mr. Pierre-André Chiappori, Government Adviser and Minister of Finance and Economy for Monaco, signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at enhancing cooperation between INPI and the Division of Industrial Property (D.P.I.) of the Directorate of Economic Development.
This agreement includes collaborative activities and joint projects focusing on harmonizing procedures for managing intellectual property protection requests, pooling resources, and engaging in awareness campaigns under the framework established by the Francophone Alliance for Intellectual Property.
The INPI delegation took the opportunity to meet with startups located at the MonacoTech incubator.
Mr. Faure emphasized the importance of understanding intellectual property rights as a vital growth lever for businesses.
He also engaged in discussions with Mr. Stéphan Bruno, Director of the Directorate of Economic Development, and Mr. Jean-Pierre Santos, Head of the D.P.I., who outlined the division's future activities and ambitions that will be supported by the memorandum of understanding.
This visit highlighted the strong relationship between the two national offices, cultivated over several decades, particularly through the implementation of the bilateral cooperation agreement established in 2006 and their involvement in the governance of the European Patent Office.
Additionally, it marked the formal entry of the D.P.I. into the Francophone Alliance for Intellectual Property.
During this visit, Mr. Faure and Mr. Pierre-André Chiappori, Government Adviser and Minister of Finance and Economy for Monaco, signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at enhancing cooperation between INPI and the Division of Industrial Property (D.P.I.) of the Directorate of Economic Development.
This agreement includes collaborative activities and joint projects focusing on harmonizing procedures for managing intellectual property protection requests, pooling resources, and engaging in awareness campaigns under the framework established by the Francophone Alliance for Intellectual Property.
The INPI delegation took the opportunity to meet with startups located at the MonacoTech incubator.
Mr. Faure emphasized the importance of understanding intellectual property rights as a vital growth lever for businesses.
He also engaged in discussions with Mr. Stéphan Bruno, Director of the Directorate of Economic Development, and Mr. Jean-Pierre Santos, Head of the D.P.I., who outlined the division's future activities and ambitions that will be supported by the memorandum of understanding.
This visit highlighted the strong relationship between the two national offices, cultivated over several decades, particularly through the implementation of the bilateral cooperation agreement established in 2006 and their involvement in the governance of the European Patent Office.
Additionally, it marked the formal entry of the D.P.I. into the Francophone Alliance for Intellectual Property.
