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

As of today, 20 October 2025, the SME Fund has reopened applications for the following vouchers, thanks to new funds made available:Voucher 1 - IP Scan (IP pre-diagnostic service) and IP Scan EnforcementVoucher 2 - Trade Marks and DesignsVoucher 3 – PatentsSince its launch in 2021, the SME Fund has supported over 95.000 SMEs across the EU in protecting their IP and fostering innovation.All SMEs established in the EU are eligible to apply for a grant. Owners, authorised employees or external representatives can apply. Applications can be filed until funds are exhausted. To find out more and apply, please visit the official SME Fund website.----In line with the European Commission and EUIPO’s focus on SMEs, ECTA established the SME Task Force, now SME-Link Committee. This Committee ensures coordination on this topic with all ECTA Committees, as well as active participation in EU discussions and initiatives related to SMEs. ECTA aims to promote a more effective use of IP by SMEs while highlighting the key role of IP practitioners in this process.

By Marius Schneider (ECTA International Trade Committee, IPvocate, Belgium) and Rubina Cateau (IPvocate Africa, Mauritius)Effective 1 December 2025, Tanzania will implement a mandatory trade mark recordation system for all imported goods. The system, introduced under Section 11A of the Merchandise Marks Act, 1963 (as amended by the Finance Act, 2025) and the Merchandise Marks (Recordation) Regulations, 2025, will be administered by the Fair Competition Commission (FCC).Under the new regime, any trade mark appearing on goods imported into Mainland Tanzania must be recorded with the Chief Inspector of Merchandise Marks at the FCC, regardless of where the mark is registered in Tanzania or not.This Recordation with the FCC is distinct from the trade mark registration procedure (which is a prerequisite).Recordation ProcessApplications for recordation must include:Details of the applicant, including nationality or jurisdiction of incorporation;Place of manufacture of the goods;Samples or clear images of the goods bearing the mark;Certified copies of the trade mark registration certificate;Information on authorised licensees or distributors; andPayment of the prescribed fee.Where the application is submitted by an agent, a Power of Attorney must also be provided.Recordations will be valid for one year and renewable annually. Goods without valid recordation may be detained or refused clearance at the border. The law also imposes penalties for false or misleading information provided in recordation applications.Rationale and Enforcement ImpactThe Tanzanian authorities have stated that the system is intended to combat counterfeit and infringing goods by enabling customs officials to quickly verify trade mark ownership and identify unrecorded or suspicious imports. The creation of a centralised register is expected to strengthen the country’s border enforcement capabilities.Implications for Right HoldersThis development marks a significant procedural change in Tanzania’s trade mark enforcement landscape. The measure applies to Mainland Tanzania only, but goods transiting through the mainland en route to Zanzibar will also be subject to these requirements.Our take on this RecordationNeighbouring Kenya has implemented a similar mandatory Recordation of trade marks with the Ant-Counterfeit Authority. Unlike what is the case in Tanzania, the absence of recordation in Kenya is a criminal offence. The Kenyan example has shown that there are major practical hiccups with the Recordation system. It is to be hoped that the Recordation will work smoother in Tanzania.Trade mark owners doing business in Tanzania should begin:Reviewing their trade mark portfolios to identify marks requiring recordation;Preparing the necessary documentation well in advance of the 1 December 2025 deadline; andUpdating licence and distribution agreements to ensure required disclosures to the FCC do not breach confidentiality obligations.Proactive planning will be essential to avoid costly delays or detentions at Tanzanian borders once the new system takes effect.

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union and the EUIPO have just released the 2024 Report on the Enforcement of IPRs, based on data provided by police, customs, and market surveillance authorities.According to the report, in 2024, approximately 112 million counterfeit items were detained at the EU border and within the EU internal market, with an estimated value of over EUR 3.8 billion - the highest recorded to date.Approximately 74% of the items were CDs/DVDs (including software), toys, clothing, clothing accessories, cigarettes (including e-cigarettes), perfumes, and cosmetics. China remains the predominant country of origin in terms of number of articles detained, followed by Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates. 90% of volume and value of infringed goods is detained in 7 Member States.The report data is also available via the IPEP Data Hub, a new interactive platform that offers an engaging way to explore the figures from three perspectives: overall, internal market, and detentions. The full report can be consulted here.This report is produced under the auspices of the EUIPO Observatory in which ECTA is represented (through members of the Anti-Counterfeiting and other Committees), actively contributing to and closely following the Observatory’s work. The Anti-Counterfeiting Committee will further analyse and discuss the report’s findings at the upcoming ECTA Autumn Meeting in Lyon.