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ECTA-EUIPO BILATERAL MEETING IN ALICANTE

Last week, ECTA and the EUIPO held their annual Bilateral Meeting at the EUIPO Headquarters in Alicante, discussing a wide range of topics of mutual interest relating to various IP rights and their enforcement.We are grateful to the EUIPO, the Executive Director João Negrão and his team for the hospitality and warm welcome in Alicante, as well as for the productive exchange, strengthening the fruitful cooperation we have built over the years.Among the topics discussed were: the EUIPO mediation procedure and clarifications around the scope of the Mediation Centre; the current approach to trade marks covering software; the design novelty search database; clarification on the application of certain articles of the CIGI Regulation; updates from the Copyright Knowledge Center; the implementation and administration of Text and Data Mining databases; the issue of undefended oppositions in the context of Chinese applications; the functioning of IPEP and the role of legal representatives; the IP landscape foresight exercise; AI-generated preliminary opinions on oppositions, and AI-generated evidence and submissions. More information about the updates received will be shared soon with our members.ECTA was represented by Carina Gommers (President), Paola Ruggiero (First Vice-President), Benjamin Fontaine (Second Vice-President), Anna Ostanina (Head of Legal Affairs), Cristina Bercial-Chaumier (EUIPO-Link Committee Chair), Sarka Petivlasova (EUIPO-Link Committee Vice-Chair), Stephanie Wuyts (EUIPO-Link Committee Secretary), Carlo Sala (EUIPO-Link Committee member), Aitor Pomares (Geographical Indications Committee Chair), Stoyan Sirakov (Anti-Counterfeiting Committee Chair), Judit Lantos (Mediation Committee Chair).Our thanks also go to the ECTA EUIPO-Link Committee team, whose expertise is essential for the success of this collaboration and regular exchange.

Save the Date - All Upcoming ECTA Events

This update is to help ECTA members and IP community at large stay informed about upcoming ECTA events and plan ahead. Registration links and further details will be shared via direct email communication in due course.If you are not a member and would like to receive updates on ECTA events and activities, please email ecta@ecta.org to be included on our mailing list.26 February 2026ECTA Round Table “Should Your Weak Trade Mark Go to the Gym?” 📍 Alicante, SpainIn collaboration with ICALI, University of Alicante, and Magister LvcentinvsOpen to all / The event is fully booked. Please register on the waiting list here.5 March 2026ECTA ®ETREAT “UPC - A Success Story?” 📍 GPTO, Munich, GermanySponsored by Questel, rwzh Rechtsanwälte, CMS Hasche Sigle, and MSP Müller Schupfner & PartnerOpen to all / Register here10 March 2026ECTA UPC Coffee by ECTA Patent Committee📍 Online (every second Tuesday of the month)Open to members only / Link to join regularly sent via email and available on the ECTA private site17 April 2026ECTA UPC Coffee by ECTA Patent Committee📍 Online (every second Tuesday of the month)Open to members only / Link to join regularly sent via email and available on the ECTA private site17-20 June 2026ECTA 44th Annual Conference “Green Light for Growth” 📍 Dublin, IrelandOpen to all / Early bird registration is open until March 31 - Register here.15-17 October 2026ECTA Autumn Meeting 📍 Porto, Portugal Open to ECTA Supervisory Board and Committee members only / More information will follow.Spring 2027ECTA ®ETREAT📍 The Hague, The Netherlands In collaboration with Benelux Office for Intellectual PropertyMore information will follow.16-19 June 2025ECTA 45th Annual Conference 📍 Destination to be unveiled soon!

CP16 and CP17: Publication and Implementation

We wish to inform ECTA members that Common Practices CP16 and CP17 are now available on the EUIPN website in 23 languages, along with the list of implementing IPOs and their implementation dates. CP16 establishes a common understanding of the notion of subject matter, as well as elements to be considered when assessing descriptiveness of signs that may serve, in trade, to designate the subject matter of the goods and/or services for which protection is requested under Article 4(1)(c) TMD. CP17 establishes a common understanding of the concept of slogans and an explanation of the assessment of their distinctive character, including a non-exhaustive list of common factors relevant under Article 4(1)(b) TMD.Both include illustrative examples.The documents were developed by experts from national and regional EU IPOs, the EUIPO and user associations participating in the drafting process. ECTA actively contributed to the development of both CPs through the participation of our members in working groups and through discussions within our Committees – particularly the EUIPO-Link, Law and Harmonization Committees - and governing bodies. We will now follow their implementation with interest.

Scam Alert: Misleading payment requests targeting users of National IP Offices

We wish to inform ECTA members of an increased number of misleading email payment requests that are currently circulating and targeting users of the National IP Offices of Austria, Hungary, Norway, and Romania. The IP Office of your own country may be targeted as well.These emails falsely claim to be sent on behalf of the above Offices and request payment of an alleged TMView registration fee to various bank accounts. The messages refer to false legal bases and misuse the name of the EUIPO as the recipient of the payments.The EUIPO has started the takedown of domain names registered and used in bad faith to send these messages and has published anonymised samples of the emails on its dedicated webpage.ECTA members are invited to report any similar scams to us by sending a copy to ecta@ecta.org, so we can inform the EUIPO Anti-Scam Network and act effectively against scammers. Please note that invoices do not need to be anonymised, as this is handled by the EUIPO.If such cases arise, parties are also encouraged to file a police report at national level and share the relevant case file number with the EUIPO. As the EUIPO works closely with Europol, this information helps support their analysis and operational assistance to national law enforcement authorities.

ECTA Annual Conference in Dublin - Early Bird Registration is Open!

Early Bird registration is now open for the ECTA 44th Annual Conference "Green Light for Growth”, taking place in Dublin from 17 to 20 June 2026. Secure your place at a reduced rate!REGISTER HEREBeing Dublin one of Europe’s leading tech hubs, the Conference will be 3 immersive days of IP learning with a focus on how technology and innovation have an impact on IP. Delegates at ECTA 2026 will experience first-hand why Ireland is a place where heritage meets innovation - and where bold ideas find green lights to grow. 💡Highlights of the academic programme include a mock mediation case, lively discussions on the latest IP news and trends; developments and management of IP portfolios in the era of green technology; ESG, greenwashing and green claims; the impact of AI on the design field; recent IP case law, among others. And of course, plenty of networking within the friendly ECTA community.Check out the programme here, attendance options and prices here (Early Bird ends on 31 March).We have secured a number of rooms at Clayton Hotel Burlington Road (Conference venue) and nearby hotels. For details on hotel options and reservation at ECTA rates and conditions, please refer to the confirmation email received upon registration. ECTA rooms are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis!