We wish to inform ECTA members that the EUIPO Management Board has recently adopted two new Common Practices: CP16 “Signs describing the subject matter of goods and/or services” and CP17 “The distinctive character of slogans”. These are the first Common Practices adopted under the EUIPO Strategic Plan SP2030.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. They are now available in English, pending translation into all EU languages. Implementation by national and regional IP Offices is planned for Q1 2026.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.

On 14 November, ECTA and WIPO held their annual Bilateral Meeting at the WIPO Headquarters in Geneva to discuss a broad range of highly relevant and technical topics concerning international IP systems, Madrid and Hague, as well as the progress of the UDRP reform, impact of AI on IP and the use of AI by WIPO, various projects in relation to supporting SMEs on their IP journey and a number of other issues of mutual interest. Relevant information and updates from WIPO are available in the ECTA private site for members only.ECTA was represented by Carina Gommers (President), Paola Ruggiero (First Vice-President), Julien Scicluna (Secretary General), Anna Ostanina (Head of Legal Affairs), Bernard Volken (WIPO-Link Committee Chair), Valeria Conidi (WIPO-Link Committee Vice-Chair), Beatrix Breitinger (WIPO-Link Committee Secretary).We are sincerely grateful to WIPO for their hospitality and warm welcome in Geneva, productive discussions on highly relevant topics, and look forward to continuing the fruitful cooperation we have built over the years. Our thanks also go to our WIPO-Link Committee team, whose expertise is essential for the success of this collaboration and regular exchange.

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.30 October - 1 November 2025ECTA Autumn Meeting - Lyon, FranceOpen to ECTA Supervisory Board and Committee members onlyRegistration is open via the ECTA private site31 October 2025ECTA Workshop 'Crafting European Geography: News and Case Law in the GI World' - Lyon, FranceOpen to allRegister here26 February 2026ECTA Round Table - Alicante, SpainIn collaboration with the University of Alicante and Magister LvcentinvsOpen to allMore information will follow5 March 2026ECTA ®etreat - Munich, GermanyOpen to allThis event will focus on patent-related topics. More information will follow.17-20 June 2026ECTA 44th Annual Conference “Green Light for Growth” - Dublin, IrelandOpen to allRegistration is expected to open at the end of January / beginning of February 2026.15-17 October 2026  ECTA Autumn Meeting - Porto, PortugalOpen to ECTA Supervisory Board and Committee members onlyMore information will followSpring 2027  ECTA ®etreat - The Hague, The NetherlandsIn collaboration with The Benelux Office for Intellectual PropertyMore information will follow

ECTA invites all IP professionals and students to participate in the ECTA Award competition by submitting an article or essay of importance for the development of EU Intellectual Property Law. We are pleased to continue our collaboration with the Journal of Intellectual Property Law & Practice by Oxford University Press, for both the professional and student categories.One winner will be selected from each category (professional and student) and will receive a monetary prize of €1,000 and 18 months of complimentary ECTA membership. Winners will also be honoured by ECTA President at the Award Ceremony during the ECTA 44th Annual Conference in Dublin (19 June 2026) and invited to join us for the gala dinner.Furthermore, an interview with the winners will be featured in the October 2026 edition of the ECTA Bulletin, and the winning papers will be showcased on the ECTA website. A one-year complimentary online subscription to the Journal of Intellectual Property Law & Practice will be granted to winners and, if not previously published elsewhere, the winning papers will also be considered for publication in the Journal.Please consult the ECTA Award submission requirements and judging criteria and send your paper to ecta@ecta.org by 15 February 2026. Kindly indicate in your email whether you are participating in the Professional or Student category.All submissions will be evaluated by the ECTA Professional Affairs and Membership Committee with the support of other Committees and under the supervision of the Board of Directors. The publication of the winning papers in the Journal of Intellectual Property Law & Practice is subject to the final decision of its editors.