We are excited to announce another significant development in our association's scope of activities. During the ECTA Annual Conference in Antwerp, ECTA governing bodies decided to broaden our horizons into interest-based dispute resolution by establishing the new ECTA Mediation Committee.

This decision follows the recent creation of the EUIPO Mediation Center and the growing use of mediation in IP disputes, as well as the expertise and interest in mediation detected among our members in the survey conducted earlier last year.

We are now opening applications for ECTA members to join this Committee. If you are not a member but wish to join the Committee, please submit your ECTA membership application here first.

ECTA members are invited to apply, if they have expertise in two or more of the following fields:

• Experience as an external, independent, neutral mediator or representation of clients as counsel in mediation in at least 5-10 IP cases
• Completion of specific training to work as a mediator
• Certification of your training based on the regulations of a Member State of the EU
• Experience working as a mediator in formal mediation proceedings of national or international authorities or organizations (e.g. WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, EUIPO Mediation Center)

If you have the required expertise mentioned above or have other interest based dispute resolution experience and a keen interest in the topic and wish to join the new ECTA Mediation Committee, please apply here by 6 September!

Results of the application process will be communicated to candidates in September. Selected candidates can serve on the Mediation Committee until the General Committee Elections in 2027, thus they will be automatically considered elected when we hold the General Committee Elections period in 2025.

The first meeting of the ECTA Mediation Committee will be held online in October 2024 (exact date TBC), while the first physical meeting will be held during the ECTA Annual Conference in Berlin, 18-21 June 2025.

*Please note that, according to our internal rules, ECTA members can participate in only one Committee at a time. If you are currently a member of another ECTA Committee but wish to join the ECTA Mediation Committee, be aware that the acceptance of your application to the Mediation Committee will automatically cancel your participation in your current Committee.

We look forward to receiving your applications and enhancing ECTA expertise and members’ knowledge in this field.