WIPO Director General Visits European Union Intellectual Property Office

WIPO Director General Daren Tang visited the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) on October 8, 2024, to discuss ways of strengthening the partnership between WIPO and EUIPO and to celebrate the Alicante-based Organization’s 30^th anniversary.

During his visit, Mr. Tang met with EUIPO Executive Director João Negrão and his team to discuss opportunities for enhanced cooperation. Together, they identified key areas where WIPO and EUIPO can work together to improve services for IP users and promote innovation.

Synergies Between WIPO and EUIPO

Mr. Negrão and Mr. Tang identified data exchange, business processes and customer satisfaction as key areas for enhanced cooperation. Other areas of common interest include promotion of IP services, inclusivity of the IP ecosystem, IP financing and alternative dispute resolution.

During his visit, the Director General visited the Interactive Collaborative Examination (ICE) room at EUIPO premises. The ICE initiatives are designed to improve the efficiency and quality of trademark and design examination processes through collaboration and knowledge sharing among examiners. These initiatives bring together experienced examiners from various EUIPO departments to work on specific tasks and share best practices.

In a conversation on service orientation and customer satisfaction both heads highlighted the important role that AI can play in delivering more efficient IP services and exchanged views on the different tools and initiatives launched or being prepared in WIPO and EUIPO for optimizing the work of intellectual property offices (IPOs).

Building solid partnerships with national IP offices and a fluent interaction with large users of IP services were identified as other key ingredients in a successful customer-oriented business strategy. In the experience of both organizations, integrating services in a coordinated suite and a hub approach to manage information and data further facilitates the interaction with users.

SME Promotion

A particular highlight of the visit was joining the beneficiaries of a recent IP Management Clinic, a joint initiative between WIPO and the EUIPO. These clinics take a practical, hands-on approach to enhancing IP strategies through personalized mentorship, training and support. Since inception, the WIPO program has grown strongly, expanding from a single clinic in 2021 to 21 clinics this year in all regions of the globe. To date, WIPO has supported over 700 SMEs across sectors such as agriculture, AI, fashion and green technology.

The clinic with the EUIPO focused on the furniture industry. This is an innovation-driven industry, worth over $500 billion globally and employing around a million EU workers.

During the visit, Mr. Tang heard from four companies – Gemla, Gärsnäs, Studio Harris, and Love2Design – about the impact the clinic has had on their businesses. Many of these firms are now embedding IP strategies into their broader business plans, reflecting a deeper understanding of the role that IP plays in driving innovation and growth.

Reaffirming the long-standing cooperation between their respective organizations, Mr. Negrão and Mr. Tang were aligned in their commitment to delivering tangible results for businesses in the years ahead.