The EUIPO received a record 101 021 EU trade mark applications during the first six months of 2021, an increase of around 24 % compared with the same period last year. Registered Community Design filing volumes grew by almost 2 % over the same period.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and the Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) signed a new Service Level Agreement (SLA) which entered into force on 21 July 2021.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and Invest Europe, the world’s largest association of private capital providers, have signed a collaboration agreement to promote and encourage activities and services that support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The EUIPO’s Customer Panel on Training met on 18 June and 1 July to exchange views on how the EUIPO Academy’s learning offer can better meet the needs of IP legal practitioners and IP paralegals with improved or new products and services.

The SME Fund, the EUIPO’s initiative that grants financial aid for intellectual property matters, is open throughout July.

The aim of Alicante News is to provide up-to-date information on EUIPO-related matters, as well as on other general IP issues, to the users of the EU trade mark and design registration systems.

The EUIPO received its 100 000th application for registration of an EU trade mark since 1 January 2021.

The Executive Director of the EUIPO, Mr Christian Archambeau, met Ms Kerstin Jorna, Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General on Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW), via videoconference, on 23 June 2021.

The 4th International IP Enforcement Summit was held online on 22 and 23 June 2021. It gathered key actors to discuss ways to improve the protection and enforcement of IP rights globally in both the online and offline environments. The summit highlighted strategic and practical guidance and shared good practices. It was also an opportunity for participants to learn more about how the fight against counterfeiting and piracy could contribute to a healthier society, a more sustainable environment and a stronger economy.

On Thursday 24 June 2021, the European Ombudsman’s Office hosted the third biennial ‘Award for Good Administration’ in the EU institutions.