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ECTA 43rd ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN BERLIN – FINAL DAYS OF EARLY BIRD!

Interview with Laurine Janin-Reynaud, moderator of the session ‘Listen to the Judges! Unified Patent Court Case Law'

Last chance for Early Bird rates! This is your final opportunity to REGISTER at discounted rates for the ECTA 43rd Annual Conference, Bears on the Loose, in Berlin (18-21 June).

As you know, ECTA is expanding its scope to include patents, and one of the key highlights of this year’s Conference will be the session on Unified Patent Court (UPC) Case Law moderated by Laurine Janin-Reynaud (ECTA Patent Committee Vice-Chair, TAoMA Partners, France).

Learn more about this panel from Laurine:

1. Introduce yourself and your link to ECTA.

I am a French intellectual property litigator at TAoMA Partners, a firm that brings together both IP attorneys and attorneys at law. My expertise lies primarily in litigation, encompassing trade marks, copyrights, designs, and patents.

I joined ECTA in 2021 and have remained a dedicated member, serving on the Supervisory Board while actively contributing to the association’s Committees. Last year, I had the honor of being appointed Vice-Chair of the newly established Patent Committee, which proudly comprises over 60 members from across Europe and beyond.

2. Introduce the topic of your Conference session.

"Listen to the Judges! UPC Case Law" - The session title speaks for itself. As you are aware, June 1, 2023, marked the launch of the Unified Patent Court (UPC), a key milestone in an initiative that began several decades ago.

Since then, patent litigators have closely followed the decisions issued by this new Court, which has exclusive jurisdiction over Unitary Patents and European Patents (unless opted out). Within the Patent Committee, UPC case law remains a central topic of discussion and a recurring focus of our meetings.

This session aims to provide an overview of the UPC's decisions during its first two years and offer practitioners across all IP fields key insights into the dynamics of litigation before the Court. And who is better to speak on this topic than the Court’s principal actors? We are honored to welcome the UPC Registrar and qualified Judges of the Court, who will share their perspectives on these initial two years of case law.

3. Introduce the panel of your Conference session.

Our distinguished panel will feature:

- Mr. Alexander Ramsay, UPC Registrar since 2022, responsible for organising all Court proceedings and overseeing the Court’s Registry.
- Judge Emmanuel Gougé, appointed to the Court of Appeal of the UPC in 2024, sitting as a legally qualified judge.
- Judge Matthias Zigann, qualified Judge at the Unified Patent Court (UPC), assigned to the Local Division in Munich.

4. Why should Conference participants join your session, and at whom in particular will it be directed?

Whether you are a patent law expert or simply interested in patent litigation and enforcement, whether you are a patent litigator or prosecutor, a young IP practitioner or a seasoned professional, this session is for you.

Historically renowned for its expertise in trade mark law, ECTA has, over the years, expanded its focus to other areas of intellectual property. For the first time, we are bringing patents to the forefront. Our goal? To make this discussion engaging and relevant for all IP professionals.

No deep technical dives - just a focus on procedure, strategy, and the key legal insights you need. The only requirement? A curious and forward-thinking legal mind.

The UPC is the future of patent litigation in Europe. If you want to be part of shaping it, this is the session you don’t want to miss.

5. Why should IP colleagues register for the ECTA Annual Conference?

The ECTA Annual Conference is a must-attend event for IP professionals looking to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving legal landscape. From my personal experience, it is more than just an event - it is a chance to connect with peers from across Europe, engage in thought-provoking discussions led by top experts, and dive into the latest trends in trade marks, designs, patents, and beyond. Should you want to exchange insights, sharpen your expertise, and shape the future of IP law, join us!

ECTA 43rd ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN BERLIN – LAST FEW DAYS OF EARLY BIRD! Interview with Verena von Bomhard, moderator of the session ‘My Name is Law...Case Law - Overview of Recent EU Cases’

Last few days of Early Bird registration until 31 March! REGISTER HERE for the ECTA 43rd Annual Conference, Bears on the Loose, in Berlin (18-21 June).

There is no ECTA Conference without its signature overview of recent EU case law – and this year, you won’t want to miss it as the session will be moderated by the fabulous Verena von Bomhard (Bomhard Intellectual Property, Spain).

Learn more about this panel from Verena:

1. Verena, introduce yourself and your link to ECTA.

I am Verena von Bomhard, co-founder of BomhardIP in Alicante and one of the “EU Trade Mark Dinosaurs”, having lived and worked in Alicante focusing on EUIPO activities and case law development since late 1995. Originally, I am from Munich, Germany. My very first IP conference was the ECTA Conference in Cannes in 1995. At the time the decision that I would move to Alicante to open the local office for my then law firm had been made (I was a real rookie - but I fulfilled two crucial conditions: I was available, and I spoke Spanish!) and I was happy about that – but the ECTA Conference completely convinced me that I had won the jack pot.

2. Introduce the topic of your Conference session.

I am in the lucky position to moderate this year’s case law session, titled “My Name is Law..Case Law”. With a panel of three plus myself, we will introduce and discuss recent important decisions and trends ranging from evergreens like weak marks to spotlights on marks tapping into the current political scene. We will exchange opinions and thoughts and hopefully get the audience to participate in this.

3. Introduce the panel of your Conference session.

The panellists are fabulous. We have Gabriele Steinfatt, dual qualified lawyer in France and Germany, who has been a judge at the General Court in Luxembourg since 2019, following 15 years as a judge at the Administrative and then Higher Administrative Court in Bremen, Germany.

From the EUIPO, Nina Korjus will join us, who has been at the Boards of Appeal since 2021, as chairperson since 2022. Before that, Nina was a judge and department head at the Finnish Market Court for many years, having previously spent eight years at the General Court as a référendaire – already then with a strong focus on EU trade marks.

And finally, we have Bartosz Krakowiak, Polish patent and trade mark attorney whose fame precedes him. Bartosz currently serves on the ECTA EUIPO-Link Committee and is ECTA’s representative in the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights (Enforcement Working Group).

4. Why should Conference participants join your session, and at whom in particular will it be directed?

The case law review session is a must-attend event at any ECTA Annual Conference and everyone who has any professional interest in EU trade mark case law developments will benefit from the insights shared by the highly skilled and experienced panellists. Listening to them will be much more fun than reading decisions!

5. Why should IP colleagues register for the ECTA Annual Conference?

The ECTA Annual Conference is one of the cornerstones in the agenda of any IP practitioner that deals with trade mark and related IP issues in the EU or in wider Europe. The size of the conference provides ample networking opportunities while not being overwhelming. ECTA is a big Family, which welcomes everyone – including long lost relatives and first-timers.

ECTA 43rd ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN BERLIN - EARLY BIRD ENDS SOON!
Interview with Fabio Angelini, moderator of the session ‘In Their Shoes - How the EUIPO Boards of Appeal Rule on Disputes’

Early Bird discounts are ending soon! REGISTER HERE for the ECTA 43rd Annual Conference, Bears on the Loose, in Berlin (18-21 June).

Among the various interesting topics discussed at the Annual Conference this year, we will have a highly practical and insightful conversation between Sven Stürmann (President of the EUIPO Boards of Appeal) and Fabio Angelini (ECTA Amicus Curiae Task Force Chair, Bugnion, Italy) on the practice of the EUIPO Boards of Appeal. Learn more about this session from the moderator:

1. Fabio, introduce yourself and your link to ECTA.
I am an Italian and US lawyer and I have been a member of ECTA for nearly 30 years. During this rather long period of time, I have always actively participated in ECTA’s activities as a former Supervisory Board member and Chair of the Law and Copyright Committees. I am now Chair of the newly formed Amicus Curiae Task Force, which I hope will be an important tool to have ECTA’s constituency voice being heard in Courts and TM Offices.

2. Introduce the topic for your Conference session.
With the preliminary admission mechanism for appeals - introduced on 1 May 2019 by Article 58a of the Statute of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) - appeals to the highest EU Court are allowed to proceed only if they raise an issue that is significant with respect to the unity, consistency or development of EU law. Since the establishment of that mechanism the CJEU has allowed only a small number of appeals to proceed, in particular because the conditions to be met are strict. This change has thus vastly amplified the importance of the EUIPO Boards of Appeal because, practically speaking, their decision can now only be reviewed by the General Court, and thus how the Boards work and how they handle cases is more than ever a must to know. The session will explore - in an interview format - the often unknown world of the EUIPO Boards of Appeals.

3. Introduce the panel of your Conference session.
The session will feature Mr. Sven Stürmann, recently appointed President of the EUIPO Boards of Appeal. Mr. Stürmann has been with the EUIPO since 2004 in roles ranging from Lawyer Linguist to Chairperson of the 2nd Board of Appeal. His leadership in the establishment of the EUIPO’s Mediation Service, along with his broad experience in dispute resolution, has made him a key figure in IP law in Europe and his hands-on approach to complex legal issues makes him particularly well suited to engage audiences - thus, I am sure the session will be lively and deeply informative.

4. Why should Conference participants join your session, and at whom in particular will it be directed?
As indicated above, given the increased importance of EUIPO Boards of Appeal in trade mark and design cases, the session should be followed by any IP practitioner who deals with the EUIPO, as the practical and theoretical insights which will be gained during the session will be a valuable asset for better understanding the functioning and the peculiarities of the EUIPO Boards of Appeal.

5. Why should IP colleagues register for the ECTA Annual Conference?
Attending the ECTA Annual Conference gives IP professionals a unique opportunity to learn, discuss and share important developments in the IP field in Europe and worldwide, but quite importantly, it provides a friendly and unhurried environment to expand their networks. In addition, it offers the possibility of becoming a more active member of ECTA by joining its Committees, which in my view is the greatest way to experience ECTA.

European Sister Organisations’ (ESO) Meeting in Paris

ECTA 2nd Vice President Benjamin Fontaine and Head of Legal Affairs Anna Ostanina represented ECTA this week at the European Sister Organisations’ (ESO) meeting in Paris, gathering esteemed representatives from APRAM, BMM, CITMA, ECTA, GRUR, MARQUES, and UNION-IP.

Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on key challenges, joint initiatives, and recent developments in IP legislation and practice.

We sincerely thank all attendees for their valuable insights and exchanges. Special thanks to APRAM and CITMA for their seamless joint organisation of this important event, which aims to forge stronger ties between European based IP associations for a more balanced IP system and for the benefit of its users.

Continuing this tradition of sharing and collaboration, ECTA and GRUR will co-organise the next physical annual ESO meeting in 2026.

ECTA-EUIPO Bilateral Meeting in Alicante

Last week, ECTA and EUIPO held their annual Bilateral Meeting at the EUIPO Headquarters in Alicante to discuss topics of mutual interest and importance, such as:

• Implementation of the EUIPO Strategic Plan and enhancement of engagement with the users;
• Latest updates on craft and industrial GIs as well as in the fields of copyright and patents;
• SME support and related plans of the Office;
• EUIPO’s implementation of the 14th package of sanctions against Russia;
• Feedback on the functioning of mandatory eAFAs and the IPEP tool;
• Security of the EUIPO systems and a number of procedural issues of everyday relevance to practitioners;
• Key recent case law and a number of other practical IP topics.

ECTA was represented by Carina Gommers (President); Paola Ruggiero (1st Vice-President); Benjamin Fontaine (2nd Vice President); Anna Ostanina (Head of Legal Affairs); Cristina Bercial (EUIPO-Link Committee Chair); Sarka Petivlasova (EUIPO-Link Committee Vice-Chair); Klaudia Blach-Morysinska (EUIPO-Link Committee Secretary); Aitor Pomares (Geographical Indications Committee Chair); Katri Kiviniemi (Design Committee Chair).

We are extremely grateful to the EUIPO for a highly productive meeting and the fruitful cooperation and open dialogue we have built over the years. We look forward to continuing our exchanges and cooperation in improving the IP landscape in Europe.