The IPR-Helpdesk is a project funded by the European Commission (EC) and a source and guide to patent information. The project was launched in 1998 (at the same time as Espacenet) to be a central reference point for intellectual property inquiries and advice throughout the European Union. The IPR-Helpdesk is a project implemented by "a European network consisting of several research institutes, law firms and consultancies." It notably offers a free-of-charge enquiry service, or "Helpline service", for addressing intellectual property issues, that is "targeted at researchers and European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) participating in EU-funded collaborative research projects."