Europe

Infringement of intellectual property rights (IPR) is a major risk for the profitability and survival of small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), according to a joint report by the EUIPO, through the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

By Eleonora Rosati

When you travel to France, the Eiffel Tower in Paris will be one of the key sites to visit; when you think of Italy, one of that country’s symbols is Michelangelo’s David; as you enjoy the sun setting down in the Spanish city of Logroño, you may well order some Chorizo Riojano to go with your glass of Rioja wine; when you stroll down the streets of Copenhagen, you will admire the beautiful furniture and the distinctive Scandinavian design style on display in local stores.

European IP Helpdesk “IP Specials” are thematic packages consisting of different media formats such as animated clips, interviews, articles, or infographics that take a closer look at a specific intellectual property (IP) topic.

From Monday 1 August, a new application programming interface (API) platform as well as a new and improved EU trade mark (EUTM) filing form are available for all customers.

Both tools are key milestones in the ongoing modernisation of the EUIPO’s digital services and take into consideration the input received from customers. The Strategic Plan 2025 commits to developing innovative tools and services using next-generation technologies.

API platform

By Eleonora Rosati, at April 2022 issue of Alicante News.

In her seminal 1929 essay A Room of One’s Own, Virginia Woolf submitted that, for women to be able to create, they needed financial independence and a private space.

In the context of the Strategic Plan 2025, under Digital Evolution Programme, the EUIPO has launched its first EUIPO Virtual assistant in EasyFiling: the EUIPO Chatbot.

The Chatbot was released in December 2021 as a Beta version for trade marks thanks to the close collaboration between CD and DTD. It is also available on EUTM Easy Filing 24/7.It provides general information on basic questions and doubts that users may have when filing online.

Online since 2016, the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on copyright have been a successful EU initiative from the EUIPO’s Observatory. The FAQs provide answers to 15 of the most common questions European consumers have on copyright in the digital environment.