IP case Law Conference 2022

Alicante, 07-08 July 2022 (hybrid)

Building on the highly acclaimed Intellectual Property Case Law Conferences (‘IPCLC’) of 2016, 2018 and 2020, the Boards of Appeal of the EUIPO are organising, in cooperation with the EUIPO Academy, a hybrid fourth edition of the IPCLC. It will be held in Alicante on 07 and 08 July 2022.

Why Attend the IP Case Law Conference?

This conference marks the 25th anniversary of the Boards of Appeal and promises to be an exceptional event, bringing together leading intellectual property experts from multiple jurisdictions and representing a broad spectrum of professional interests.

Newly designed to take a sectorial approach to current global challenges facing the IP community, the conference includes an all-star conference faculty, with representatives from some of the leading IP offices, lawmakers, judges, academics and lawyers. Contextualised in a sectorial approach – including fields such as health, fashion, the environment, artificial intelligence, automobiles and the food industry –, expert panels will consider the challenges and developments in IP case-law and legislation that lie ahead.

The event is designed to encourage interactive discussions among participants through panel debates, with each of them covering 4 or 5 key topics related to each specific sector.

An attendance certificate will be provided for those who request one. The language of the conference is English, but there will be simultaneous interpretation in French, German, Spanish and Italian (the official languages of the Office).

Agenda Register here

Day 1

09.30 10.00 - Welcome by João Negrão, President of the Boards of Appeal, European Union Intellectual Property Office
Opening statements by:
Christian Archambeau, Executive Director, European Union Intellectual Property Office
Ivan JančárekAmbassador of the Czech Republic for Spain and Andorra
Savvas Papasavvas, Vice President, General Court of the EU

Description of the sessions

First session

This session will address current procedural and substantive questions of the EU courts’ case-law in trade mark and design matters. Speakers include judges and référendaires of the EU courts in Luxembourg.

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Second session

Climate change and environmental concerns are at the forefront of government and corporate agendas in numerous fields of economic activity, including IP. This session will look at how the sustainability and greening of IP are being addressed by Commission policy, their impact on trade mark and design jurisprudence and what eco-friendliness means for protection of plant varieties at the EU level. Set against the backdrop of working with nature and sustainable products, consideration will also be given to the treatment of cannabis trade marks at the EUIPO, as well as an insider view of how companies must go beyond mere ‘greenwashing’ of their IP.

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Third session

TThis session will deal with the interesting issue of intersecting IPR in culture, fashion and entertainment. The topics cover different aspects of culture and entertainment including, inter alia, press and book titles, gaming and sport, music and films, art, and also fashion law, which has become a hot topic in recent years.

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Fourth session

The last 2 years have put health concerns at the centre of our lives. IP was challenged by the pandemic, many new issues were raised in the world of health and new concepts of wellness emerged. The panel will lead the journey into the changes that have modified our lives in these recent difficult months.

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Day 2

Fifth session

The digital world plays a crucial role in all aspects and is changing quickly. The upcoming challenges for intellectual property are going to be discussed in the fifth session of the conference. International experts will address, inter alia, how artificial intelligence can be used in public administration and in trade mark law, whether technology created by machines can be protected and how the use of trade marks can be proven by online evidence.

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Sixth session

With innovation and technology evolving at a rate that is increasing by the day, and competition among automotive manufacturers and suppliers being as fierce and cut-throat as ever before, IP protection is more important now than ever. In the sixth session, we will be discussing the impact of IP issues and challenges for the automotive industry, primarily in the field of trade marks, patents and design, in light of the recent Design Reform.

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Seventh session

The food and beverage industries are not only the world’s largest industries. In recent years, they have also become one of the most competitive with their companies and markets. It is unsurprising that companies are expending considerable resources to create and promote distinctive brands while increasingly looking toward intellectual property protection as a tool to establish or maintain their dominance in the field. The seventh session will cover these aspects in the realm of trade marks and geographical indications, with an emphasis on the interactions and challenges between these IP rights and the GI Reform.

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