Call for Papers
EPIP 2025 Call for Papers
We invite researchers at all stages of their careers (PhD researchers to senior scholars), practitioners, and representatives of policymakers and stakeholders interested in the economic, legal, philosophical, and political aspects of intellectual property (IP) to submit papers for the 20th EPIP Annual Conference, to be held in Antwerp, Belgium from 10 to 12 September 2025.
This conference will explore the historical perspectives, present realities, and future trajectories of IP, innovation, and technology, uniting a diverse group of experts. We welcome individuals from various disciplines, including the fields of economics, law, management science, anthropology, history, and political science, as well as stakeholders and policymakers for theoretical, empirical, and policy-oriented presentations and discussions on the intersection of IP, innovation, and technology.
Participants will have an opportunity to engage in discussions and presentations that touch on a wide range of issues, articulated around (1) the overarching theme of the conference, and (2) other leading themes and topics.
Submissions from all disciplines on all IP-related topics are welcome.
Overarching theme
Turning IP Ambitions into Action: Creating Connections, Collaborations, and Communities
Join us as we explore the evolutions related to IP in the context of global societal challenges. Indeed, challenges such as climate change, pandemics, and geopolitical tensions, are reshaping the IP landscape. As these challenges intertwine and amplify their normative, societal, and economic effects, the role of IP becomes increasingly critical. The risk of poly-crises, where multiple crises converge and exacerbate each other, further underscores the need to think about a more resilient and adaptive IP system.
As stimulating R&D, innovation, and creativity are at the heart of our IP systems, IP frameworks are set to play a key role in the setting up of a future-proof agenda that balances the interests of rights holders and users. While reaching a consensus regarding the precise role, objectives, and rationale of IP law is unlikely due to diverse stakeholder interests, nonetheless, societal transitions demand that we must translate IP ambitions into action. To do this, societies must take the essential steps of fostering meaningful connections, establishing effective collaborations, and building strong communities.
The theme of the 20th EPIP Annual Conference has been deliberately selected to ensure that the conference will be held under a more general thematic umbrella to enable us to address topics that are societally relevant and inspiring, thought-provoking, and capable of addressing a broad variety of research interests within the EPIP community. We hope that such a broad thematic scope will also encourage the participation of researchers from various disciplines that go beyond the traditional EPIP realms. Multi-disciplinarity is essential for addressing poly-crises by talking to each other, collaborating, and solving problems together instead of speaking in silos and echo chambers of our respective disciplines.
Linking to the conference theme and building on long-standing lines and areas of interest traditionally covered by EPIP conferences, we invite submissions of full papers and abstracts, special and themed sessions, and for the organisation of plenary sessions for the following leading themes and topics.
Leading Themes and Topics
We invite submissions on a wide range of leading themes, including but not limited to the following topics:
Special Sessions
As in previous editions, the EPIP 20th Annual Conference will host ‘Special Sessions’ open to submissions. Applicants interested in applying for a Special Session should indicate this during the submission process by ticking the relevant box. Please note that the deadline for submissions to Special Sessions is the same as for the other sessions. However, abstracts and papers will be processed and evaluated separately from the regular review process by the Special Session organisers.
One of the Special Sessions is organised by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Submissions admitted thereto may be eligible for conference participation support (e.g., travel and conference fees). Support will be given on a limited budget basis, and priority will be given to contributions from developing countries.
