Institutional changes
The reform of the Regulation seeks to streamline procedures and increase legal certainty, as well as to define clearly all the Office's tasks, including the framework for cooperation and convergence of practices between the Office and the EU national and regional IP offices.
Change of name
Before 23 March
After 23 March
Adapting to the Lisbon Treaty: name changes
The terminology of the regulation is adapted to the Lisbon Treaty, with all references to the Community being substituted by references to the European Union or, in some instances, the Union. This means, in particular, that the term ‘Community trade mark' is now replaced by ‘European Union trade mark'. Existing Community trade marks and Community trade mark applications therefore automatically became European Union trade marks and European Union trade mark applications upon the entry into force of the Amending Regulation, and the Community Trade Mark Regulation has now become the European Union Trade Mark Regulation
Cooperation activities
The Amending Regulation introduces a solid legal framework for the existing cooperation between the Office and the offices of the Member States. Another important aspect of the new framework is that it provides for the consultation of user representatives in relation to cooperation projects, in particular in the phases of definition of the projects and the evaluation of their results.
Areas of cooperation
The Amending Regulation includes a non-exhaustive list of areas of activity covered by the cooperation between the Office and the offices of the Member States, which include:
- the establishment of common standards and practices;
- the creation of common databases and portals;
- the sharing of data and information and the exchange of technical expertise and assistance;
- the raising of awareness concerning the trade mark system and the fight against counterfeiting.
Other institutional changes include:
- the President of OHIM becoming Executive Director of the EUIPO, and the Administrative Board becoming the Management Board;
- one European Parliament representative on the Management Board & Budget Committee for the first time.