About the course

The EUIPO Trade Mark and Design Education Programme for Paralegals is a custom-made training course mainly intended for professionals working as intellectual property administrators, legal assistants, company employees who deal with legal matters or similar.

The programme has been designed to be a side activity to a normal full-time working commitment. Approximately 5 hours of weekly dedication is required in order to follow the scheduled activities, most of which can be undertaken at the student’s convenience.

A comprehensive curriculum of approximately 80 hours of tuition will guide the participants through the EU trade marks and designs legal framework, the EUIPO´s processes and the use of the EUIPO´s online tools. The programme´s hands-on approach will allow the participants to apply the acquired knowledge and skills directly in their daily job.

The course will be held in English only and will run from September to February, combining e-learning activities, live-streamed and recorded sessions and one workshop session that will take place at the EUIPO in Alicante, if the epidemiological situation allows. Each module will conclude with an exam. The candidates who will pass all the module exams will be awarded an EUIPO certificate. For further information related to the organisation of the ETMD EP for Paralegals, please refer to the ETMD EP Guidelines.

Admission

Registration is limited to 60 persons, on a first come, first served basis, and will be open from 01 to 30 June 2022.

The admission requirements are as follows:

• Although a certain knowledge and work experience in the field is highly recommended, there are no formal admission requirements.
• EUIPO User Account;
• tuition fees of EUR 750;
• ability to work in English (C1 level of English is highly recommended).

Before applying, please note that the application form must be accompanied by a copy of your ID document or passport, your EUIPO User Account username and proof of payment of the tuition fees.

Programme of Studies

The programme of studies covers all areas of EU trade mark and Community design law, including general principles regarding proceedings before the EUIPO; applying for an EUTM and an RCD; procedural and evidentiary issues; opposition, cancellation and appeal proceedings.

The main objective of the ETMD EP for Paralegals is to ensure that the participants acquire a solid understanding of the EU trade marks and designs legal framework and the EUIPO´s practice and processes and learn to master the use of the EUIPO´s online tools.

Calendar

The second edition of the ETMD EP for Paralegals will run from September 2022 to March 2023. Several weeks throughout the course are non-elective. Please refer to the calendar* for the key dates of the course.

• 20 September 2022 – Module 1: General introduction to EUTMs, RCDs and EUIPO services
• October 2022 – Module 2: Applying for an EUTM
• 26, 27 and 28 October 2022 – Workshop sessions
• November 2022 – Module 3: Procedural and evidentiary issues - Entries in the Register
• December 2022 – Module 4: Applying for an RCD and design invalidity proceedings;
• January 2023 – Module 5: Opposition proceedings
• February 2023 – Module 6: Cancellation proceedings and Appeals

Modules 5-6 will conclude with a module exam.

*Dates and modality of the activities are subject to change for organisational reasons. Participants will be informed well in advance of any changes.