Attendees of the ECTA 43rd Annual Conference in Berlin will have a unique opportunity to interact with João Negrão, Executive Director of the EUIPO, during an exclusive one-hour interview conducted by Benjamin Fontaine, ECTA Second Vice-President.

João Negrão took the reins of the Alicante Office in autumn 2023 and since then he is leading the office through a number of key challenges: enhancing customer experience through the digitalization of the EUIPO, new competencies, global economic constraints, geopolitics, and more. Many of these evolutions affect directly the members of ECTA, as regular users of the EUIPO services.

The Conference audience will have the rare opportunity to ask questions, and this session represents a unique opportunity to have first-hand answers from the Executive Director in person!

We look forward to this unusual session, do not miss it!

ECTA Bulletin: The June Edition is Out! READ IT HERE!

• ECTA 43rd Annual Conference: As the ECTA community heads to Berlin, enjoy a welcome message from President Carina Gommers!
• ECTA Committee updates: Interview on the Diversity & Inclusion Task Force, reports from the EUIPO-Link and WIPO-Link Committees, as well as recent developments from the International Trade Committee. The Patent Committee gives an overview of the last two years of the Unified Patent Court.
• IP news: Updates from the USPTO, the Arab region, and developments in Turkish trade mark law. Copyright focus with a significant Chinese case and a comparative look at the EU and UK frameworks.
• Case law highlights: Major rulings such as the German Birkenstock shoes and the Thatchers vs. Aldi case.
• New Bulletin series launch on Article 8(4) EUTMR - ‘a non-registered trade mark or of another sign used in the course of trade’ may form the basis for opposition to registration of an EUTM on relative grounds. The first chapter focuses on Germany and Poland, with more Member States to follow!

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).

On the occasion of the World Anti-Counterfeiting Day, the EUIPO has launched a campaign related to counterfeit food and beverages in the EU #WhatsOnYourTableEU, aiming to raise awareness and protect consumers from fake food and beverages.

Counterfeiting in this sector poses significant risks to public health and harms European economies and culinary heritage. In 2020, foodstuffs were the second most seized product category at the EU's external borders.

The 2025 EU Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment Report from Europol highlights that the growth of e-commerce has given counterfeiters new ways to distribute fraudulent food, making it increasingly difficult for consumers to identify authentic products. Criminals manipulate food labels, packaging, and manufacturing processes, often targeting high-value products.

To read the official press release of the campaign, please click here.

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ECTA is dedicated to combating counterfeiting by sharing professional experience and best practices at the EU level and beyond, particularly through our Anti-Counterfeiting Committee.

The 2025 edition of the Guidelines for Examination of registered European Union designs, to which ECTA contributed during the latest revision round, entered into force in May 2025.

A summary of the key changes introduced is now available here.