We are pleased to inform ECTA members that the EUIPO Conference on Copyright 2027 “Building Europe's Copyright Infrastructure for the Digital and GenAI Era” will take place on 6-7 April 2027 at the EUIPO premises in Alicante.The Conference is organised by the EUIPO Copyright Knowledge Centre and will bring together key stakeholders, including representatives of EU institutions, public authorities, creative industries, technology providers, academia, etc. to discuss the latest developments and challenges in copyright, with a particular focus on digital technologies, generative AI and the future of copyright infrastructure in Europe.The event will include high-level policy discussions, a Technology and Innovation Demo Fair showcasing practical solutions for copyright protection, licensing, rights management, transparency and enforcement, as well as opportunities for networking.Further details, including the programme and registration information, will be made available in due course.We invite all interested ECTA members to save the dates!

ECTA Bulletin (October Edition) Out Now! READ IT HEREIn this particularly rich edition: Many interesting interviews, including with new ECTA President, Paola Ruggiero;Get ready for the 45th ECTA Annual Conference in Sorrento - La Dolce IP! 🍋A focus on geographical indications and insights on the UPC's first three years, SEP and FRAND issues, AI and design law, Ukraine's trade mark reform, dupes in the pharma sector, IP mediation, diversity & inclusion, and much more;Case law highlights, including the Obelix, Animal Farm/1984 and Fauré Le Page cases, plus the latest in our Art. 8(4) EUTMR series, this time focusing on the Benelux;Upcoming 2027 General Committee Elections, Committee updates and a warm welcome to new ECTA members!Interested in advertising in the next ECTA Bulletin? Send an email to ecta@ecta.org to learn more and secure your spot.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).

We wish to inform ECTA members that, on 7 October 2026, ICANN published the list of applications of 2026 round of the new generic top-level domains (gTLDs), disclosing applicant identities.The application submission window was open from 30 April to 12 August 2026. According to ICANN's data snapshot, the round attracted a total of 1,615 applications, including:333 brand applications;16 community-based applications;15 self-identified geographic name applications;51 applications from Applicant Support Program participants;21 applications for Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) and9 applications for variants.Starting as of 8 October 2026, applicants who filed an alternate replacement string have a two-week time period to switch their application from their original string to that replacement string, as long as they are eligible to do so. After this window closes, ICANN will announce, on 17 November 2026 (String Confirmation Day) an updated list.String Confirmation Day will open the Community Input and Objections Period, a formal application comment period running from 17 November 2026 to 16 March 2027, during which third parties including rights holders may file formal objections or comments on published applications. Submissions are directed to different channels based on the type of objection:Objection Type/ BasisLegal Rights Objection: Infringes trade mark, copyright, or trade nameCommunity Objection: Harms a defined community represented by an established entityLimited Public Interest: Violates general principles of international law or public orderString Confusion: Visually/phonetically confusingly similar to another existing or applied-for TLDComprehensive details regarding this topic can be found in the ICANN documentation at Applicant’s Guidebook.The ECTA Internet Committee will continue to follow developments, and will keep members informed of relevant updates.

We wish to inform ECTA members that the EUIPO has published a new set of Boards of Appeal case-law research reports:Trade marksSigns describing the subject matter of goods and services (May 2026) Available in EN ES DE FR ITDefining the scope of the indications of goods and services in trade mark specifications (February 2026) Available in EN ES DE FR ITDesignsInvalidity of a design dictated by its technical function pursuant to Article 9(1) EUDR (March 2026) Available in EN ES DE FR ITImpact of the Design Legal Reform on appeal proceedings (phase II) (June 2026) Available in EN ES DE FR ITThese reports, in addition to their purpose within the Boards of identifying case-law trends and to develop a common understanding of relevant legal issues and support consistency, are also used by the EUIPO as a basis for discussion of Common Practices with IP Offices and User Associations, including ECTA, to harmonise practices and standards.

by Frank Bollmann ECTA IP-Valuation Task Force Member, Vossius & Partner, GermanyThe European Commission has recently proposed the European Innovation Act (EIA) to help promote the development, financing, and expansion of innovative ideas in Europe.The purpose is to overcome two perceived challenges to innovation in Europe. On the one hand, the EU mentions issues with access to financing for innovation and on the other hand, a simplification of R&D procurement.Especially the first topic is very interesting for the newly founded ECTA IP-Valuation Task Force, so let’s take a closer look.The EU plans to:create a competence center on IP-backed finance as part of the EUIPO (see also the EUIPO initiative here),develop a voluntary Union-wide framework for IP-valuation and IP-disclosure andcreate a Union-wide marketplace for IP.In order to facilitate IP-backed financing, a database of transactions shall be established to collect (on a voluntary basis) data on IP-transactions where IP is used to back financing (see Article 33 of the proposal).Furthermore, to provide more consistency in IP-valuations, a new certification is proposed on a voluntary basis for IP-valuators to show that the valuator has acquired the necessary skill and competence to carry out IP-valuations for IP-backed financing (see Article 35 of the proposal).As this is currently a very dynamic area of research and regulation, ECTA and the ECTA IP-Valuation Task Force will stay on top of the issues and will provide further relevant details to ECTA members as those become available.For further details, you can find the official press release here and the entire proposal here.-----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.

Last week, ECTA met in Brussels with the European Commission (DG GROW and DG TRADE) to exchange views and discuss updates on a range of important topics.Discussions included developments in the area of IP valuation and IP-backed financing, as well as updates on the EU Design Reform and the implementation of the EU Trade Marks Directive. Other topics included IP enforcement and the practical roll-out of the new CIGIs system.On the trade side, the exchange focused on ongoing negotiations and dialogues with third countries, particularly China, Mercosur and Türkiye, as well as initial exchanges on ECTA’s recent contribution to the Third Country Report. The meetings also touched on other topics of interest to our members in connection with projects across various ECTA Committees.The ECTA delegation included Paola Ruggiero (President), Benjamin Fontaine (1st Vice President), Micaela Schork (2nd Vice President), Carina Gommers (Secretary General), Krystyna Zurawska (Treasurer), Alessia Tozzi (Legal and Communications Coordinator), Hande Hancar (Chair of the International Trade Committee).We are grateful to the Commission representatives for the open and constructive dialogue, as such meetings help ensure that the perspectives and practical experiences of IP professionals are reflected in ongoing policy developments.In addition, last week, the ECTA Board of Directors and Secretariat also met in Brussels to fine-tune details for the upcoming ECTA Autumn Meeting in Porto, continue preparations for the ECTA 45th Annual Conference in Sorrento, and discuss other strategic priorities for the months ahead.

We wish to inform ECTA members that the EUIPO has issued Decision No EX-26-16, extending time limits for parties having their residence or registered office in Ukraine.All time limits expiring between 20 September 2026 and 21 March 2027 (inclusive) are extended until 22 March 2027.

We wish to inform ECTA members that, in addition to the EUIPO Trade Mark and Design Education Programme (ETMD EP) for practitioners, with its next edition starting soon in October, the EUIPO has introduced a new series of short IP training sessions, to provide foundational IP knowledge to a broader audience.The sessions will be held online, free of charge, and open to all interested participants, with a maximum capacity of 300 attendees per session. The first session will take place on 17 September 2026.Participants who successfully attend all sessions over two consecutive years will receive a certificate of completion.Further information is available here.-----ECTA is actively involved in the project, with various members serving on the Examination Boards of both the practitioners’ and paralegals’ programmes, as well as on the ETMD EP Advisory Committee.

We wish to inform ECTA members that Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) will soon be introduced for several EUIPN tools (EUIPN Portal, TMview and DesignView) as part of EUIPO’s efforts to strengthen account security and user protection.In addition to the existing username and password, users will be required to also enter a 6-digit code generated by an authenticator app, such as Microsoft Authenticator or Google Authenticator.MFA will be available on an optional basis from 12 September and will become mandatory from 30 November 2026. We therefore advise our members to activate it in advance, before it becomes mandatory.Please note that MFA is linked to each individual user account. Users should therefore access EUIPN tools using their own individual account, rather than shared credentials or common mailboxes.More information and FAQs are available here.For questions or if users need support, please contact customercare@euipo.europa.eu and/or +34 965 13 9100

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.8 September 2026ECTA UPC Coffee by Patent Committee📍 Online Open to members only (the access link will always be available on the ECTA private site as no reminders will be sent)15-17 October 2026ECTA Autumn Meeting 📍  Porto, Portugal Open to ECTA Supervisory Board and Committee members only / Registration is open (link to register in the private site under ECTA Committee Meetings 2026)16 October 2026ECTA Workshop ‘Self-defence class: Protecting one's name, image and likeness’ 📍 Porto, Portugal Open to all - Register here (Supervisory Board and Committee members already registered for the Autumn Meeting do not need to register separately for the workshop)10 November 2026ECTA UPC Coffee by Patent Committee📍 Online Open to members only (the access link will always be available on the ECTA private site as no reminders will be sent)12 January 2027ECTA UPC Coffee by Patent Committee📍 Online Open to members only (the access link will always be available on the ECTA private site as no reminders will be sent)25 February 2027ECTA Round Table📍 Alicante, SpainMore information will follow.9 March 2027ECTA UPC Coffee by Patent Committee📍 Online Open to members only (the access link will always be available on the ECTA private site as no reminders will be sent)Spring 2027ECTA ®ETREAT📍 The Hague, The Netherlands In collaboration with Benelux Office for Intellectual PropertyMore information will follow.11 May 2027ECTA UPC Coffee by Patent Committee📍 Online Open to members only (the access link will always be available on the ECTA private site as no reminders will be sent)16-19 June 2025ECTA 45th Annual Conference "La Dolce IP" 📍  Sorrento (South of Italy)Registration open in November.13 July 2027ECTA UPC Coffee by Patent Committee📍 Online Open to members only (the access link will always be available on the ECTA private site as no reminders will be sent)

Register for the ECTA Workshop ‘Self-defence class: Protecting one's name, image and likeness’, taking place at Sheraton Hotel in Porto (Portugal) on 16 October 2026 from 16:00 to 18:00.The workshop will explore both prosecution and post-grant aspects and will feature representatives from the EUIPO Boards of Appeal, a judge of the IP and Competition Chamber of the Lisbon Court of Appeal, and experienced practitioners in this field. More details on the programme will be shared soon.The participation fee is:30,00 € (excl. VAT) for ECTA members not registered for the ECTA Autumn Meeting (Supervisory Board and Committee members already registered for the Autumn Meeting do not need to register separately for the workshop)50,00 € (excl. VAT) for non-membersThe workshop is free of charge for officials, full-time students, and full-time professors.A certificate of attendance will be provided upon request after the event.

By Vikrant Rana (ECTA WIPO-Link Committee and Design Committee member, S.S. Rana & Co., India)The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and Luiss Business School have released the third edition of the World Intangible Investment Highlights (WIIH) 2026, revealing that global investment in intangible assets, including R&D, software and data, brands, design, and organizational know-how- exceeded USD 10 trillion in 2025, an all-time high across the 29 economies covered, which together account for 57 percent of world GDP.Intangibles Outpace Physical InvestmentThe Report states that since 2008, intangible investment has grown at a compound annual rate of 3.5 percent in real terms i.e. 3.6 times faster than tangible investment (0.98 percent). It further provides that from 2015 to 2025 alone, intangible assets grew at 4.4 percent annually which was roughly 2.5 times the pace of physical investment.Notably, intangible investment has also proven more resilient to economic headwinds. Despite multi-decade-high interest rates, tighter financing conditions, and trade policy uncertainty, intangible investment across the EU, UK and US grew at 5.5 percent annually between 2020 and 2025, compared to 3.2 percent for tangible investment. The report attributes this to the nature of intangible assets: unlike debt-financed factories and machinery, firms continued investing in software, data, R&D and organizational capital even through the rate-hike cycle.Intangible investment now represents 12.8 percent of GDP across the sample economies, exceeding the tangible share of 11.8 percent. Of all economies, Sweden remains the most intangible-intensive economy (17.4 percent of GDP), followed by the US (15.6 percent) and France (15.2 percent).Special Theme: Brands as a Trillion-Dollar Asset ClassThis year's special theme examines brands as strategic assets. Brand investment across sample economies reached USD 1.4 trillion in 2025, growing at 4.2 percent annually since 2015. The US leads by a wide margin (USD 566 billion), more than four times second-ranked UK (USD 137 billion), followed by Japan, Germany and Brazil.The report underscores that brands have become more valuable than ever in the AI era: as AI-generated content proliferates, trusted brands serve as rare signals of authenticity and provenance. At the same time, the report cautions that the same technologies amplify brand risks, such as- deepfakes and synthetic media can impersonate brands and fabricate endorsements which elevates the importance of robust brand protection strategies.Significantly, brand investment remains a "current cost" in national accounts following the UN Statistical Commission's 2025 SNA revision, meaning it forms part of the roughly 62 percent of intangible investment that goes unmeasured in official statistics, a measurement gap the WIPO–LBS partnership seeks to bridge.AI Reshaping the Intangible EconomyThe report updates its analysis of the AI–intangibles nexus. While most AI spending continues to flow into physical infrastructure, with the US accounting for roughly 62 percent of global private AI-related capital expenditure and 76 percent of global AI infrastructure spending in 2025- the lasting economic impact of AI is expected to come from the intangible assets built on top of it.Software and databases remain the fastest-growing intangible category (7.3 percent annually, 2013–2023), and the report predicts AI will lift investment across all intangible asset types: from organizational capital (as firms rebuild processes around AI) and R&D (as AI compresses discovery cycles) to brands (as guarantees of authenticity) and employer training (as continuous reskilling becomes permanent).Here are 10 key highlights from the WIIH 2026:Intangible investment crossed USD 10 trillion in 2025;Intangibles are growing 3.6 times faster than tangible investment;Intangible investment is more resilient to economic shocks;Intangibles now account for a bigger share of GDP than physical capital;At nearly USD 5 trillion in 2025 (around six times Japan's level), the US accounts for close to half of all intangible investment captured;AI is reviving tangible investment, but narrowly;Software and databases are the fastest-growing intangible asset;Around 62 percent of intangible investment goes unmeasured in official statistics;Brands are a trillion-dollar asset class;Brands matter more than ever in the AI era, but face new risks.The message from the WIIH 2026 is fairly straightforward- the global economy is now being shaped more by what firms know, build and brand than by what they physically own. As AI accelerates this shift, businesses that recognize the value of their intangible assets early, and take steps to protect them, will be the ones best placed to compete in the years ahead.Source: WIPO and Luiss Business School, World Intangible Investment Highlights 2026 (July 2026), WIPO Publication No. 1097EN/26, available at wipo.int. The electronic version of the WIIH 2026 is available here.-----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.

We wish to inform ECTA members that the EUIPO, under the EU-Republic of Korea IP Action and in collaboration with the Ministry of Intellectual Property of the Republic of Korea, is organising the online webinar "Navigating the Korean IP System: A Practical Introduction for EU Users" on Wednesday, 23 September 2026 at 09:00 CET.The webinar will provide an overview of the main forms of IP protection available in Korea, including trade marks, designs, patents, geographical indications and trade secrets. Participants will also gain an overview of key procedures, institutions, post-registration actions, appeals and basic enforcement mechanisms, as well as the main differences between the Korean and European IP systems.ECTA members interested in attending are invited to register by 21 September 2026 at 12:00 CET.

Register for the ECTA Autumn Meeting in Porto (Portugal) from 15-16 October 2026! Located on the Atlantic coast, Porto is a city known for its UNESCO-listed historic centre, the scenic Douro riverside, its azulejos, and the famous Port wine produced and aged across the region.The Autumn Meeting is reserved for Supervisory Board and Committee members only, and traditionally offers a more focused opportunity for networking and knowledge exchange within the ECTA community. Registration for the Autumn Meeting is available in the ECTA private site.This year’s Autumn Meeting workshop“Self-defence class: Protecting one's name, image and likeness” will address both prosecution aspects, including the registration of a name or appearance as a trade mark, and post-grant matters, in particular the use and enforcement of the rights.Evening events will be held at iconic city venues, with optional Saturday excursions to further enjoy Porto and its surroundings. We strongly encourage early registration to help us finalise and share the Committee schedule in good time. To find out more about the event log into the ECTA private site and check ECTA Committee meetings 2026.

We wish to inform ECTA members that the 2026 edition of the Guidelines for Examination of EU trade marks (EUTMs) and registered EU designs (EUDs) enter into force today, on 1 July 2026, following adoption by the EUIPO Executive Director (Decision No EX-26-09) and after stakeholder consultation to which ECTA actively participated through its relevant Committees.The revised Guidelines include significant updates such as:implementation of the second (and final) stage of the EU design reform, including representation requirements for animated and dynamic EU designs;comprehensive review of Office’s practice in relation to geographical indications (GIs), particularly in light of the legislative reform related to GIs for craft and industrial products and General Court’s judgment T‑239/23, NERO CHAMPAGNE / Champagne;changes to Office practice related to deadline extensions and suspensions in opposition proceedings.For a broader summary of changes, please refer to the official EUIPO news here.

The ECTA 45th Annual Conference "La Dolce IP" will take place in Sorrento, one of the most beautiful corners of Southern Italy, from 16-19 June 2027! 🍋🔔 Early-bird registration will open earlier than usual, in November, as Sorrento is a highly popular destination. Be sure to reserve your place early!Sponsorship opportunities are already available. Take a look at our sponsorship brochure and feel free to send an email to ecta@ecta.org if you are interested or have any questions.

We wish to inform ECTA members that, in line with the new BoA Action Plan 2026-2030 and following the biennial revision cycle, the revised EUIPO Boards of Appeal Rules of Procedure (BoA-RoP) will enter into force on 1 July 2026.The amendments include substantive updates to existing provisions and introduce new provisions for appeal proceedings concerning GIs for craft and industrial products, as well as procedural changes relating to extensions, suspensions, costs, and other aspects of appeal proceedings.To learn more about the amendments, please consult the official news here.To access the revised BoA-RoP, please click here. The revised Rules will be translated into all EUIPO working languages.ECTA actively participated in the public consultation on the revision of the BoA-RoP by submitting comments on the proposed amendments. ECTA also provided feedback on the outline of the BoA Action Plan 2026-2030 and continues to participate regularly in the BoA Focus User Group meetings.

We are pleased to announce that the ECTA Presidency rotation took place during the 44th Annual Conference in Dublin.The ECTA Board of Directors for the 2026-2028 term is as follows:Paola Ruggiero, PresidentResponsible for strategic direction and overall supervisionBenjamin Fontaine, 1st Vice-PresidentResponsible for the academic program of eventsMicaela Schork, 2nd Vice-PresidentResponsible for general management of CommitteesCarina Gommers, Secretary General (Ad Interim)Responsible for administrative and contractual mattersKrystyna Zurawska, TreasurerResponsible for financial mattersWe would like to express our sincere gratitude to former President Carina Gommers for her dedicated service and outstanding leadership over the past two years, as well as to former Treasurer Klaudia Blach-Morysińska for her valuable contribution to the Association.We wish our new President Paola Ruggiero and the entire Board of Directors every success in the journey ahead. The updated composition of the ECTA Supervisory Board following this year's election can be consulted here.

ECTA Bulletin (Conference Edition) Out Now! Enjoy reading it here.In this edition: Get ready for #ECTA44: Read the welcome to Dublin from ECTA President, Carina Gommers;Interviews with Benjamin Schindler from the Fédération Internationale de Basketball - in line with this year's World IP Day theme IP and Sports; and with Professor Morten Rosenmeier on the Danish Board of Design;Art. 8(4) EUTMR series: this time focusing on Czech Republic, Finland and Hungary;Insights on weak trade marks, the UPC, copyright protection for works of applied art and the increasing relevance of design protection and much more; plus case law reports, including the Chubby Gorilla case, the CJEU's Ape Tees judgment;Committee updates and a warm welcome to new ECTA members.Interested in advertising in the next ECTA Bulletin? Send an email to ecta@ecta.org to learn more and secure your spot.Thank you to the ECTA Publications Committee for another excellent edition, and special thank to Birgit Reiter, for her outstanding work over the past two years as Chair of the Committee!A print-friendly version is available for members only in the ECTA Library (private site).