EUIPO Strengthens Cooperation with MERCOSUR and Chile on Trade Mark Examination Guidelines

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) hosted the 4th Virtual Meeting of Intellectual Property (IP) experts from MERCOSUR and Chile, in the context of the AL-INVEST Verde IPR project. The event held on 26 March brought together experts from the participating IP Offices (IPOs) to foster dialogue and collaboration and to exchange best practices.

The central focus of the 4th edition of the series of virtual knowledge exchanges was to share experiences and case studies on developing and updating trademark examination guidelines. Similar to previous editions of the series, the event served to reinforce this virtual community as a platform for exchanging expertise, discussing challenges, and strengthening cooperation.

Examination guidelines enhance the accessibility and transparency of practices and improve the coherency, predictability, and quality of decisions. They systematically bring together principles derived from the law, court jurisprudence, and decisions of competent departments within IPOs. This benefits all users, IP owners and agents in the relevant jurisdictions wishing to protect their trade marks in a given country or region.

The EUIPO builds on years of experience drafting its own Guidelines for Examination of European Union trade marks which are updated on a yearly basis. These Guidelines serve as main point of reference for users of the EUTM system and professional advisers who want to ensure they have the latest information on EUIPO examination practices.

In the context of the AL-INVEST Verde IPR project, the EUIPO contributed to updating the trade mark Guidelines of the National Directorate of Industrial Property (DNPI) of the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining of Uruguay which were published in November 2024. Additionally, the EUIPO is currently supporting the National Directorate of Intellectual Property (DINAPI) of Paraguay with drafting their first ever guidelines for examination of trade marks.

Through these virtual communities and by creating opportunities for discussion and collaboration, the EUIPO contributes to more harmonized and effective IP systems in the region. The 4th knowledge exchange and capacity building event aligns with the EUIPO’s broader commitment to international cooperation in the field of IP, mobilizing expertise through its extensive global network of IP institutions.