ECTA is pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP), formalised today at the ECTA office in Brussels by ECTA President Carina Gommers and BOIP Director General Hugues Derème. The agreement marks a new step in the ongoing cooperation between the two organisations, aiming to promote collaboration and the exchange of best practices in key areas of intellectual property.Commenting on the signing, ECTA President, Carina Gommers, said:“BOIP is a partner with whom ECTA shares a strong professional synergy, and this MoU builds on our fruitful cooperation in recent years - notably the successful ECTA ®etreat co-organised with BOIP last year in The Hague. As a Belgian practitioner who is part of the Benelux IP framework, it is especially meaningful for me to strengthen this partnership during my presidency. I am sure this MoU will serve as a lasting contribution to ECTA’s outreach in the region and to our shared mission of supporting the IP community”.BOIP Director General, Hugues Derème, also shared his views:"Our collaboration with ECTA has a longstanding and successful history. I'm therefore personally delighted about the signing of this MoU, because it underlines exactly our shared values. BOIP firmly believes in an IP system that is functional - one that prioritises the needs and wishes of its users. It is no coincidence that we are committed to delivering the highest quality of services in our BOIP2030 Strategic Plan. Quality is our goal, both in the services and information that we provide, but also in the impact that we can make on the IP system - to make it faster, more accessible, more transparent and efficient, and more harmonised. Our close collaboration with ECTA enables us to follow trends closely, exchange best practices, and drive together improvements of the Benelux IP system for the benefits of its users."This partnership is part of ECTA’s broader initiative to strengthen ties with regional and national IP Offices, in line with ECTA President’s Strategic Plan 2020-2026. Other similar MoUs have already been concluded, reinforcing ECTA’s engagement at a local level.   

The EUIPO has recently launched a redesigned EUIPN website, aimed at improving user experience and access to information.Updates include a redesigned European Cooperation Projects page with a new Virtual Communities section, and a merged News and Events section featuring new free-text search and filters. The Tools and Practices sections have also been updated, with a link to the IP Legislative and Practice Repository added.Both old and new websites will run in parallel for a limited time to ease the transition.To find out more, please read here.

We inform ECTA members that the revised EUIPO Rules on Mediation, to which ECTA contributed through its Mediation Committee, entered into force on 14 July 2025.The updated rules aim to provide a simplified, clearer, and more efficient process to support the swift resolution of intellectual property disputes.The new rules apply to all mediation requests submitted on or after 14 July 2025 and can be consulted here.

We are pleased to inform ECTA members that the EUIPO Boards of Appeal will host the 5th edition of the IP Mediation Conference in Malta on 16-17 October 2025.The conference will bring together key stakeholders in IP mediation and ADR, including judges, lawyers, mediators, business leaders, and representatives from EU institutions and academia, who will exchange insights, best practices, and emerging trends in the field.As the event will be hybrid, participants will be able to join in-person or online.To find out more and register, please click here.

Register for the ECTA Autumn Meeting in Lyon (30 October-1 November 2025) reserved for Supervisory Board and Committee members only.Often considered the gastronomic capital of France, Lyon enchants with its traditional bouchons, culinary legacy of Paul Bocuse, UNESCO-listed Old Town, and vibrant cultural scene - making it the perfect setting for a memorable (and tasty) ECTA gathering.The Autumn Meeting traditionally provides a more intimate yet enriching opportunity for networking and knowledge exchange within the ECTA community. This year’s workshop theme could not be more appropriate: agricultural and non-agricultural geographical indications, a subject deeply rooted in French identity. From Noix de Grenoble, Brioche de Saint-Genix, Poulet de Bresse, and Bergamote de Nancy to Champagne, Marseille soap, Couteau de Laguiole, and more, the topic promises to be both intellectually and gastronomically inspiring. Evening events will be held at great city venues, with optional Saturday excursions to further enjoy Lyon’s “delights”. We strongly encourage Supervisory Board and Committee members to early register to help us finalise and share the schedule in good time. To find out more about the event and register, log into the ECTA private site and check ECTA Committee meetings 2025.

The newly elected ECTA Committees begin their 2025-2027 term today.We thank the 400+ ECTA members who took part in the General Committee Elections this year - making it one of our most successful ever. As Committees are the core of ECTA, your dedication keeps our association moving forward.To all Committee members: we wish you a rewarding term filled with insightful discussions, impactful projects, and lasting professional connections (and friendships too!)The first in person meeting of the new Committees will take place during the ECTA Autumn Meeting in Lyon (30 October-1 November 2025). This event is exclusively for Supervisory Board and Committee members. Registration opens soon - keep an eye on your ECTA emails!

We are pleased to announce that, during the ECTA 43rd Annual Conference in Berlin, Klaudia Blach-Morysinska has been appointed as new Treasurer. The ECTA Board of Directors is now composed as follows: • Carina Gommers, President Responsible for strategic direction and overall supervision • Paola Ruggiero, 1st Vice-President Responsible for the academic program of events • Benjamin Fontaine, 2nd Vice-President Responsible for general management of Committees • Julien Scicluna, Secretary General Responsible for administrative and contractual matters • Klaudia Blach-Morysinska, Treasurer Responsible for financial matters Our sincere gratitude goes to former Treasurer, Jordi Güell, for his dedication and commitment to ECTA! To consult the updated composition of the ECTA Supervisory Board following this year's election, please click here.

On Thursday, 3 July 2025, the EUIPO Boards of Appeal will host an IP Tertulia in collaboration with the Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board (IPTAB) of the Korean Intellectual Property Office. The Tertulia will cover topics such as the Korean trade mark and design appeal system, along with recent case law on absolute and relative grounds from both Korea and EUIPO Boards of Appeal. Speakers will include: • Mr Sven Stürmann, President, EUIPO Boards of Appeal • Ms Jo Hyunjoo, Deputy Director, Trial Policy Division, IPTAB • Ms Park Jaewon, Administrative Trademark Judge, Board 13, IPTAB • Ms Alejandra González Fernández, Member of the 1st Board, EUIPO Boards of Appeal The event will take place in Alicante from 17:00 to 20:30 and is open to all, with the option to also attend online. Simultaneous translation between Korean and English will be provided. To register and choose your preferred mode of participation, please click here.

We are pleased to announce that ECTA heads to Dublin for its 44th Annual Conference entitled ‘Green Light for Growth’ from 17-20 June 2026. Save the date! Dublin is a dynamic European capital which blends a thousand years of history with a vibrant creative spirit. A global hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, its Docklands - once filled with ships - now host the European headquarters of major tech giants and trailblazing Irish firms. Its universities, research centres, and creative industries drive Dublin’s reputation as a city of ideas and progress. Delegates at ECTA 2026 will experience first-hand why Ireland is where heritage meets innovation - and where bold ideas find a green light to grow.

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. ------ 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.

The European Commission has just published its biennial Report on the Protection and Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in Third Countries, to which ECTA contributed during the 2024 public consultation. The report identifies third countries where IPR deficiencies have the greatest economic impact on EU interests. China remains the top priority country, followed closely by India and Türkiye as second priority countries. Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Indonesia, Nigeria and Thailand are third priority countries. Published alongside the report, the updated Counterfeit and Piracy Watch List outlines key trends and highlights websites and marketplaces reported of distributing counterfeit goods and pirated content. Both documents will support ongoing cooperation with EU trading partners and guide IPR dialogues, working groups, and technical cooperation programmes. They also aim to help EU rights holders - especially SMEs - by raising awareness of IPR risks abroad.

The EUIPO and Europol have published the updated 2024 situation report on misleading payment request fraud targeting IP right owners. The report highlights a significant increase in fraudulent activity, with scammers using email spoofing, phishing, and fake IP office certificates and logos to demand average payments of EUR 1,500 - resulting in estimated yearly profits of over EUR 26 million. Criminals are also exploiting technology, including AI, to expand these activities. The EUIPO, which continues for more than a decade to actively monitor and combat this matter through its Anti-Scam Network, urges users to verify the authenticity of the communication before taking any action. If a payment request includes a bank account that is different from the two EUIPO bank accounts held in Spain (Caixa Bank ES03 2100 2353 0107 0000 0888 and Santander ES08 0049 6659 0121 1622 4792), it does not originate from the EUIPO. To find the updated 2024 situation report, please click here. ------ ECTA takes an active role in the fight against this type of fraud. To learn more about ECTA Anti-Scam Activities and also to report any such activity to ECTA, please visit our ECTA Anti-Scam Activities page.

The EUIPO has just published a new study "The Development of Generative Artificial Intelligence from a Copyright Perspective", developed in collaboration with the European Commission. The study examines how Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) systems - relying on existing content to create new material - challenge traditional copyright protection. In particular, the study explores: • The use of copyright-protected works for training GenAI models; • Legal implications of AI-generated content; • Impact on creators, AI developers, and the copyright ecosystem. The study also reviews the current EU legal framework on GenAI - including the Copyright in the Single Market Directive and the EU Artificial Intelligence Act - and addresses opt-out mechanisms, licensing agreements, transparency, detectability, potential revenue streams for creators, and ongoing legal disputes related to GenAI and IP. To read the executive brief please click here. To read the full study, please click here. The ECTA AI and Data Committee, with the support of other Committees, is closely following AI developments and their implications across various IPRs.

We wish to inform ECTA members that, following the 5th Boards of Appeal User Focus Group meeting - where ECTA continues to actively contribute - three new BoA case-law research reports have just been published: • Descriptiveness of names of colours • Similarity between pharmaceuticals and cosmetics • Component parts of complex products (Article 4(2) and (3) EUDR) These reports aim to identify case-law trends, foster a common understanding of key legal issues and support a consistent application of the law. They also serve as a basis for discussions of Common Practices between the EUIPO, IP Offices, and User Associations, contributing to harmonising practices and standards across jurisdictions. ECTA members are encouraged to consult these and other valuable resources on the EUIPO dedicated webpage on BoA case-law research reports.

By Julia Semeniy (ECTA International Trade Committee Member, Asters Law Firm, Ukraine) While Ukraine is still under martial law, there were continued discussions that the previously implemented suspension of IP deadlines is no longer necessary. Although the suspension provided many applicants and right holders the opportunity to retain their intellectual property despite wartime restrictions, it also had negative impact by causing delays in registration procedures and disputes as to extended IP rights. Therefore, the Law of Ukraine No. 4362-IX of 16 April 2025 (the Law) was adopted cancelling the Law No. 2174-IX of 1 April 2022 (so-called "deadlines law") and the respective suspension of deadlines related to: • IP registration procedures (submission of documents, responding office actions, fee payments etc.) • IP renewals • Oppositions against trade mark applications, • Appeals against the Ukrainian IP Office's decisions and cancellation applications (post-grant oppositions) that are filed to the Appeal Chamber of the Ukrainian IP Office. Starting from 31 May 2025, the effective date of the Law, all previously suspended deadlines shall resume as follows: • For any deadline that arose on or after 24 February 2022, the relevant action must be completed within the regular timeframe or the 75-day grace period, whichever is longer. E.g. the applicant will have 75 days instead of regular 2 months to pay the application filing fee, but regular 3 months to pay the official granting fee. • For any deadline that arose before 24 February 2022 - the relevant action must be completed within the portion of the regular timeframe remaining as of 24 February 2022 or the 75-day grace period, whichever is longer. • Any renewal fee that would have been due on or after 24 February 2022 must be paid within the 75-day grace period. In the event the relevant resumed deadline is not met, the consequences would be as provided for by the regular provisions of the applicable Ukrainian laws, potentially including lapsed application or registration, or a need to pay extra fee to obtain additional deadline extension if available. Hence, it is important to complete all necessary actions within the applicable resumed deadlines. Any new deadlines arising on or after 31 May 2025 shall be governed by the regular provisions of the applicable Ukrainian laws in the intellectual property sphere. ----- 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.

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.