Brussels, 11/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - Innovators and businessmen with innovative ideas do not only need to have access to sufficient funding, but also need to benefit from adequate protection of intellectual property rights so as to make the most of business opportunities, face the challenges of the knowledge-based economy and turn innovation into entrepreneurship. The joint European Commission-European Patent Office (EPO) "Patinnova/Epidos 2001" event will therefore tackle, from 15 to 18 October in Cardiff (United Kingdom), all patent-related issues in the digital economy. Six hundred professionals from the world of patents, innovation and information brokerage will gather at the conference, which will be accompanied by an exhibition open to the public. Professionals will be on hand from more than 50 organisations to answer questions, and training seminars open to all will run in parallel to the main event. (For further information: http://www.patinnova.org ).