The European Commission has launched a public consultation inviting citizens and organisations as well as national and regional public authorities to contribute to the assessment of how to strengthen the geographical indications system.

The Roanian State Office for Inventions and Trademarks (OSIM) has enhanced its front-office and back-office applications with added capabilities.

The Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria (BPO), with the support of the EUIPO’s European Cooperation Service, has improved the service it provides to its users with the launch of a new release of the front office system supporting trade mark and design applications and related e-services.

As of 20 January 2021, the Norwegian Industrial Property Office (NIPO) has enhanced its participation in TMclass. From this day, NIPO will use and accept the terms from the harmonised database of goods and services (HDB) in TMclass in Norwegian.

The State Agency on Intellectual Property of the Republic of Moldova (AGEPI) has published Practice Paper: Likelihood of confusion (impact of non-distinctive/weak components) relative grounds of refusal.

On 18 November 2020 and 22 December 2020, under the framework of the European Cooperation Project (ECP8) ‘European Network of Authenticities’, the municipalities of Sofia and Plovdiv became the first certified Bulgarian ‘Authenticities’.

The Industrial Property Organisation in Greece (OBI), with the support of the EUIPO’s European Cooperation Service, has improved the service it provides to its users with the launch of a new online platform to file applications for design registrations electronically.

The Austrian Patent Office (ÖPA – Österreichisches Patentamt) has launched a new ‘Trade Mark Opposition’ eService, a modern online service for trade marks.

On 23 November, Mozambique officially launched the newly created geographical indication (GI) Cabrito de Tete, which is the first GI registered in ARIPO (African Regional Intellectual Property Organization).

On 28 October, the Romanian State Office for Inventions and Trademarks (OSIM), with the support of the EUIPO’s European cooperation projects, enhanced its back and front office applications.