Trade marks and designs

Trade marks are used by most industries in Europe. Trademark-intensive industries contribute directly for 21.7% of European jobs and 37.3% of the EU GDP. Design-intensive industries also contribute directly for 14.2% of employment and 16.2% of GDP in the EU. (Source: EUIPO/EPO)

Trade marks and designs particularly are important tools for companies in the innovation process. Trade marks are used to bring products to the market. Consumers will associate a product’s quality with a  trade mark. In addition, designs are used to shape a product or a service in such a way as to define what is desirable for the consumer and distinguish it from competitors.

Publications

Position papers Date
The EU Design Reform - BusinessEurope comments 21/02/2023
Revision of the EU legistion on design protection - BusinessEurope comments on the public consultation 13/07/2021
Inception impact assessment on the review of the EU design protection legislation - BusinessEurope comments 16/12/2020
Evaluation of EU legislation on design protection - Comments on the consultation 26/03/2019
EUIPO Strategic Plan 2025 consultation - BusinessEurope comments 26/02/2019
BusinessEurope comments to OHIM strategic plan 2020 23/02/2015
European Trade Mark package - joint paper from BusinessEurope, AIM, ECTA, ICC-BASCAP, INTA and MARQUES 04/02/2014
BusinessEurope comments on the European Parliament Legal Affairs (JURI) Committee draft reports on the trade mark package 15/10/2013
BusinessEurope comments on European Commission trade mark reform package proposals 28/06/2013
European observatory on infringements of intellectual property rights - BusinessEurope response to OHIM consultation 06/07/2012
Public letters Date
Trade mark and design user community strongly opposes diversion of OHIM funds and calls on EU legislators to focus on making trade mark reform a success 08/04/2015
Trade mark elimination via plain packaging - Open letter 18/03/2015
Open letter to the European Parliament, Member States and Commission on the EU trade mark reform 20/10/2014
Commission proposal for a directive on tobacco products - Joint letter from BusinessEurope and the US Chamber of Commerce to MEP Vital Moreira 20/02/2013
Last updated: 3 December 2019