epi and EUIPO Bilateral Meeting
January 21, 2025
On January 15, 2025, an epi delegation led by epi President Mr. Peter Thomsen and a European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) delegation headed by Executive Director Mr. João Negrão held a bilateral meeting at the EUIPO headquarters in Alicante, Spain. This event served as an opportunity for both organisations to discuss their missions, operations, and shared commitment to promoting intellectual property rights and respect to those rights, to foster innovation across Europe.
Mr. Negrão opened the meeting by presenting the EUIPO developments and recent statistics, including growth in filings of EU trade marks and designs. Key highlights included updates from the European Observatory on studies regarding Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights, presented by Ms Anne-Sophie De Brancion, who outlined the Observatory´s role, strategic initiatives, and essential tools such as the IP Enforcement Portal (IPEP) and the Anti-Counterfeiting and Anti-Piracy Technology Guide (ACAPT Guide). The EUIPO encouraged stakeholders to actively register for and use these resources to enhance IP protection.
Ms. Vladia Borissova, Director of the EUIPO Academy, shared insights into the Academy’s numerous educational and outreach programs. Additionally, Ms. Inge Buffolo, Director of the Business Development Department, introduced initiatives aimed at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including the SME Fund Programme and IP Scan Services focused on helping SMEs develop IP strategies, including patent protection, and resolve IP conflicts efficiently.
epi, in turn, presented its approach to promoting IP rights, with a particular focus on patents. President Thomsen highlighted findings from a comprehensive survey conducted over the past 18 months across 39 epi constituencies. The survey aimed to identify local needs and refine epi’s strategies. Moreover, the Chairs of the epi EPPC, Professional Education, Editorial, and Litigation Committees shared their activities and explored potential synergies with the EUIPO’s initiatives.
The final part of the meeting focused on sharing cases and experiences of dealing with fraudulent practices related to representation.
The meeting resulted in the identification of some concrete opportunities for collaboration, including educational events, enforcement and trainings support as well as advocacy for stronger respect for IP rights. Both organisations emphasized the importance of a holistic approach to IP protection as a means to strengthen Europe’s innovation ecosystem. This shared vision underscores the critical role of intellectual property as a cornerstone of sustainable economic growth and global competitiveness in Europe. It was agreed to further explore common initiatives and activities for the benefit of European businesses, companies and epi members.