Following the adoption of Decision 2020-1 on 27 February 2020 the Presidium of the EUIPO Boards of Appeal published the Rules of Procedure of the Boards of Appeal. The document was prepared in consultation with User Associations, including ECTA, that actively provided comments and feedback on the draft.

The Rules compile into a single document the existing procedural practice of the Boards of Appeal, governed by the EUTMR, EUTMDR, EUTMIR, CDR and CDIR, as well as principles of EU law as equal treatment and sound administration.

One of the main objectives is to clarify in which extent the rules on trade mark proceedings are applied by analogy to design appeals, after the legal reform of 2017, with all the adjustments and adaptations needed.