New OECD/EUIPO Study on Illicit Trade Challenges in the Belt and Road Initiative
A new joint OECD/EUIPO study was released today: Examining Illicit Trade Challenges in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): Vulnerabilities and Potential Risks.
Launched in 2013, the BRI is the largest infrastructure project undertaken by a single country, aiming to boost Chinese exports and improve trade connectivity of participating countries. While the initiative has facilitated increased commerce, it also presents new vulnerabilities that may be exploited by counterfeiters.
Key findings from the report include:
• A rise in the number of counterfeit seizures at EU borders from China since 2015, despite a decrease in their overall value. This diverging trend is due to a shift from maritime shipments to smaller parcels and express couriers.
• The growing use of complex trade routes and new infrastructure.
• A statistical link between BRI investment levels in a country and the export of counterfeit goods from that country.
To read the full report and executive summary, please consult here.
This is another publication produced under the auspices of the EUIPO Observatory - this time as a joint project with the OECD - in which ECTA is also represented (through members of the Anti-Counterfeiting and other Committees), actively contributing to and closely following the Observatory’s work.
Launched in 2013, the BRI is the largest infrastructure project undertaken by a single country, aiming to boost Chinese exports and improve trade connectivity of participating countries. While the initiative has facilitated increased commerce, it also presents new vulnerabilities that may be exploited by counterfeiters.
Key findings from the report include:
• A rise in the number of counterfeit seizures at EU borders from China since 2015, despite a decrease in their overall value. This diverging trend is due to a shift from maritime shipments to smaller parcels and express couriers.
• The growing use of complex trade routes and new infrastructure.
• A statistical link between BRI investment levels in a country and the export of counterfeit goods from that country.
To read the full report and executive summary, please consult here.
This is another publication produced under the auspices of the EUIPO Observatory - this time as a joint project with the OECD - in which ECTA is also represented (through members of the Anti-Counterfeiting and other Committees), actively contributing to and closely following the Observatory’s work.
ECTA 43rd ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN BERLIN - Interview with João Assunção, moderator of the session ‘Shared Secrets - A Practical Guide to IP Contracts’
The ECTA 43rd Annual Conference in Berlin is coming up soon on 18-21 June! If you haven't registered yet, now is the time! REGISTER HERE!
We are happy to feature a very practical session on IP contracts, moderated by João Assunção (ECTA Young Professionals Group and Patent Committee member, NLP Legal, Portugal).
Learn more about this panel from João:
1. João, introduce yourself and your link to ECTA.
Hi! I am João Assunção, a Portuguese lawyer and IP attorney working at NLP, a Lisbon-based IP boutique law firm. I have had the privilege of working across a wide variety of IP rights since 2016. I have focused on patent and SPC litigation, trade marks, company names and trade secrets, as well as defining strategies for protecting IP rights and drafting various types of IP contracts.
Being an ECTA member since 2021, I have also had the great opportunity of being actively involved in the Harmonization Committee and, since 2024, the Patent Committee. Additionally, I am a proud member of the ECTA Young Professionals Group, dedicated to supporting ECTA’s younger members and practitioners, fostering connections between peers in similar career stages, facilitating knowledge sharing, and creating opportunities for future collaborations and good friendships. If you are a young practitioner looking to expand your network and grow within the field, we would be glad to have you join us!
2. Introduce the topic of your Conference session.
In the eagerly awaited ECTA 43rd Annual Conference - Bears on the Loose, I will be moderating the session ‘Shared Secrets - A Practical Guide to IP Contracts’. This interactive and practice-oriented session will dive into key aspects of IP-related agreements, providing insights on key clauses, pitfalls to avoid, and real-world examples regarding some of the most common IP contracts, which we believe will be very enriching and engaging for attendees! Looking forward to seeing you there!
3. Introduce the panel of your Conference session.
The panel will feature:
• ECTA Secretary General Julien Scicluna, who also teaches on IP-related subjects at universities and business schools in France;
• Florian Rath, a very knowledgeable Austrian IP expert and Attorney-at-Law at Salomonowitz, who is also a member of the ECTA Young Professionals Group;
• An industry speaker, who will focus on what is expected from an external lawyer, providing good examples, and industry insights.
4. Why should Conference participants join your session, and at whom in particular will it be directed?
From my perspective, this session is of interest to all IP professionals, but mainly those involved in reviewing or drafting license agreements, coexistence agreements, IP terms in research contracts, commercial agreements, and other IP-rich contracts. Whether you are experienced in this area or looking to deepen your knowledge, you will gain practical insights to enhance your work.
And of course both me and Florian would be particularly happy to see our fellow young professionals in the audience!
5. Why should IP colleagues register for the ECTA Annual Conference?
Besides from the obvious interest of Berlin’s rich history, culture, diversity, open spaces, and vibrant atmosphere, ECTA’s Annual Conference is a must-attend event for IP professionals. It offers a distinctive platform to debate and exchange insights on the latest developments in the global IP landscape, all within a warm, engaging, and relaxed setting - ideal to expand your professional network and foster meaningful connections.
ECTA Bulletin: The Latest Edition is Out!
ECTA Bulletin: The Latest Edition is Out! Read it here!
• Benjamin Fontaine, ECTA’s new Second Vice-President, shares the ‘ingredients’ of his success in an exclusive interview.
• Highlights from the ECTA 43rd Annual Conference in Berlin and APRAM-ECTA ®etreat this Thursday in Paris;
• Insights on the EUIPO Mediation Centre and newly established ECTA Mediation Committee. ECTA’s first-ever amicus brief and Committee updates.
• More interviews: with founders of the ECTA Young Professionals Group; with 2024 ECTA Award winners; and with President of the Benelux Association for Trademark and Design Law for its 50th Anniversary;
• Topics covered: ambush marketing, cultural heritage and fashion, Data Governance Act, DSM Directive, Australian trade mark law, copyrights in AI-generated outputs, and the interplay of patents and biodiversity.
• Case-Law highlights on illegal online streams, figurative marks, limits of confidentiality, IP damage calculation, freedom of expression, and common knowledge of terms.
Thank you to the ECTA Publications Committee for another excellent edition! A print-friendly version is available for members only in the ECTA Library (private site).
• Benjamin Fontaine, ECTA’s new Second Vice-President, shares the ‘ingredients’ of his success in an exclusive interview.
• Highlights from the ECTA 43rd Annual Conference in Berlin and APRAM-ECTA ®etreat this Thursday in Paris;
• Insights on the EUIPO Mediation Centre and newly established ECTA Mediation Committee. ECTA’s first-ever amicus brief and Committee updates.
• More interviews: with founders of the ECTA Young Professionals Group; with 2024 ECTA Award winners; and with President of the Benelux Association for Trademark and Design Law for its 50th Anniversary;
• Topics covered: ambush marketing, cultural heritage and fashion, Data Governance Act, DSM Directive, Australian trade mark law, copyrights in AI-generated outputs, and the interplay of patents and biodiversity.
• Case-Law highlights on illegal online streams, figurative marks, limits of confidentiality, IP damage calculation, freedom of expression, and common knowledge of terms.
Thank you to the ECTA Publications Committee for another excellent edition! A print-friendly version is available for members only in the ECTA Library (private site).
The EUIPO published Common Practice 15 on the comparison of goods and services
The EUIPO has just published Common Practice 15 (CP15) on the comparison of goods and services, addressing the opposability of terms lacking clarity and precision, and the common interpretation of Canon criteria and other factors. Available in 22 EU languages, CP15 outlines general principles for comparing goods and services, including examples to illustrate these principles.
Over the past two years, EUIPO stakeholders - including ECTA - have been actively involved in consultations and provided valuable feedback, playing a key role in drafting the Common Practice.
Over the past two years, EUIPO stakeholders - including ECTA - have been actively involved in consultations and provided valuable feedback, playing a key role in drafting the Common Practice.
ECTA Members’ Voice: Turkish Regulation on the Implementation of the Administrative Revocation of Trade Marks Is Finally Published
By ECTA members Güldeniz Doğan Alkan and Dilan Sıla Kayalıca from Türkiye
With the entry into force of the Industrial Property Code no. 6769 (“IP Code”) on 10 January 2017, the administrative revocation of trade marks has been introduced into Turkish Trade Mark Law and revocation proceedings are entrusted to the Turkish Patent and Trade Mark Office (“the Office”) instead of Turkish Courts. However, the implementation of administrative revocation was postponed for 7 years, and during this transition period, revocation requests continued to be filed before civil courts, as was before the enactment of the IP Code.
As of 10 January 2024, which corresponds to the end of 7 years postponement, the Office started accepting administrative revocation requests as preliminary requests, but did not review such requests in terms of their merits due to the lack of an implementing regulation.
On 15 March 2025, the Office finally published the Amendments on the Regulation on Implementation of the Industrial Property Code and shed light on details of the procedure, such as timelines, official fees (including application and escrow fees to be reimbursed to the successful party under certain conditions), and formal requirements.
At this stage, we expect the Office to complete the procedural deficiencies in the pending revocation requests that have been filed until the entry into force of the Regulation, by sending official notices to the applicants informing them of deficiencies, if any, and proceed with the examination by defrosting the backlog of revocation requests swiftly and to finalise the pending applications. We hope that, in comparison to judicial revocation proceedings heard before the civil courts, the administrative revocation procedure to be conducted by the Office shall enable time- and cost-efficient review of revocation requests filed based on lack of genuine use, becoming generic or misleading for registered goods or services and being used contrary to technical specifications (for the guarantee or collective marks).
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The views expressed are those of our members and not necessarily of ECTA as an association. The content has not been subjected to a verification process, the accuracy of the information contained in the article is responsibility of the author.
With the entry into force of the Industrial Property Code no. 6769 (“IP Code”) on 10 January 2017, the administrative revocation of trade marks has been introduced into Turkish Trade Mark Law and revocation proceedings are entrusted to the Turkish Patent and Trade Mark Office (“the Office”) instead of Turkish Courts. However, the implementation of administrative revocation was postponed for 7 years, and during this transition period, revocation requests continued to be filed before civil courts, as was before the enactment of the IP Code.
As of 10 January 2024, which corresponds to the end of 7 years postponement, the Office started accepting administrative revocation requests as preliminary requests, but did not review such requests in terms of their merits due to the lack of an implementing regulation.
On 15 March 2025, the Office finally published the Amendments on the Regulation on Implementation of the Industrial Property Code and shed light on details of the procedure, such as timelines, official fees (including application and escrow fees to be reimbursed to the successful party under certain conditions), and formal requirements.
At this stage, we expect the Office to complete the procedural deficiencies in the pending revocation requests that have been filed until the entry into force of the Regulation, by sending official notices to the applicants informing them of deficiencies, if any, and proceed with the examination by defrosting the backlog of revocation requests swiftly and to finalise the pending applications. We hope that, in comparison to judicial revocation proceedings heard before the civil courts, the administrative revocation procedure to be conducted by the Office shall enable time- and cost-efficient review of revocation requests filed based on lack of genuine use, becoming generic or misleading for registered goods or services and being used contrary to technical specifications (for the guarantee or collective marks).
-----
The views expressed are those of our members and not necessarily of ECTA as an association. The content has not been subjected to a verification process, the accuracy of the information contained in the article is responsibility of the author.
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