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 stands with the Spanish people in the ten day official mourning period decreed by the Spanish government to remember the victims of the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

The Executive Director of the EUIPO, Christian Archambeau, has released a new video update on the current situation at the Office. Mr. Archambeau noted that due to the end of the second extension of time limits period on 18 May, approximately 21 000 EUTMs need to be published over a period of weeks to avoid technical issues.

The CP8 Common Practice ‘Use of a trade mark in a form differing from the one registered’ has been adopted by the EUIPO’s Management Board and Budget Committee.

To access the webinars and check next month’s programme, please consult our Academy's event calendar. Times are approximate and subject to change. Open to all, each webinar lasts approximately 30 to 60 minutes and a live chat with the speakers will be made available.

The EUIPO and EURid, the domain name registry for the .eu, .ею and .ευ top-level domains, are set to intensify collaboration to support trade mark and domain name applicants and owners, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

On 28 April 2020, the second edition of the ASEAN Common Guidelines for the Substantive Examination of Trade Marks was published on the ASEAN IP Portal website and on the ARISE+ IPR website.

With the ending of the exceptional extensions granted to users by two decisions of the Executive Director of the EUIPO (Decision No EX-20-3 and Decision No EX-20-4), the number of publications in the Bulletin are set to increase over the coming weeks.

Following the success of the first two editions, which saw the participation of more than 100 IP practitioners from 26 EU Member States, we are pleased to inform you that the EUIPO is launching the third edition of its tailor-made Trade Mark and Design Education Programme (ETMD EP).

The National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia (Sakpatenti) has published three Practice Papers: Distinctiveness - figurative marks containing descriptive/non-distinctive words, Scope of protection of black and white marks, and Likelihood of confusion (impact of non-distinctive/weak components) relative grounds of refusal.