European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO)

Access to the official webpage and the social networks

Overview

• Role: The EU Intellectual Property Office manages the EU Trade Mark and Design rights, the Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights and the Orphan Works Database.
• Executive Director: Christian Archambeau
• Established in: 1994
• Number of staff: 775
• Location: Alicante (Spain)

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) administers the EU Trade Mark and Design rights, applicable throughout the EU. These rights complement national intellectual property (IP) rights and are linked to international IP systems. Since 2012, EUIPO has been responsible for the EU Observatory on the Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights and the Orphan Works Database.

What it does

On average, the Office receives and examines over 150,000 trade mark and 90,000 design applications annually. It also encourages convergence of practices among EU countries’ IP offices through the European Union Intellectual Property Network’s cooperation activities. User-friendly IP tools are used for this purpose.

Through the Observatory, the Office brings together a wide-reaching network of stakeholders, to raise awareness of IP infringement issues via studies, projects and tools. EUIPO also manages the Orphan Work Database, providing digitised access to public information on literary, cinematographic or audiovisual works, pictures and photographs.

Who benefits

IP rights are essential for economic activity and growth. They provide significant value to their owners and the wider economy. EUIPO aims to make its services accessible and easy to use, so as to create synergies within and beyond the EU with its partners and stakeholders:

• the users of IP registration systems, particularly small & medium-sized businesses
• EU & non-EU IP offices
• user associations
• other international bodies in the IP field.