EUIPO - European Union Intellectual Property Office

Today, at the EUIPO - European Union Intellectual Property Office , we had the pleasure of hosting the “Challenge the Fake” European award ceremony, welcoming an inspiring, bold and creative group of students to our campus. This initiative, developed by industry, academia and public authorities, brings to life something we, at the EUIPO Observatory, strongly believe in: that the next generation is not only aware of the challenges around counterfeiting—but ready to lead the change. Throughout the event, we saw creativity, insight and determination from teams representing leading European universities. Their ideas clearly demonstrated how powerful communication can be in shaping attitudes and promoting a culture where authenticity truly wins. A very warm congratulations to the team from Università Bocconi , whose project stood out. Their approach was innovative, flexible and impactful, and clearly designed to engage a broad audience of young people. That said, I know for a fact that the jury would have preferred not to have to choose a single winner. The Esade team delivered a truly professional and engaging presentation, while the UCL team presented an ambitious and highly impressive project. The exceptional quality of all the proposals made the decision particularly difficult, and every team should be incredibly proud of what they achieved. Initiatives like “Challenge the Fake” remind us that intellectual property is not just a legal concept—it is a powerful tool to protect creativity, enable innovation and support sustainable growth across Europe. A sincere thank you to all participants, and to Andema- Asociación para la Defensa de la Marca , INDICAM , ACG - The Anti-Counterfeiting Group , International Trademark Association (INTA) , SHADO and Amazon , for making this event such a success. And to the students: please keep challenging, creating and inspiring—we are counting on you. #ChallengeTheFake #EUIPO #IntellectualProperty #YouthEngagement #Innovation #Authenticity

Earlier this week, at the EIT Culture & Creativity Innovation Forum, hosted by the EUIPO - European Union Intellectual Property Office in Alicante, we explored how intellectual property can help turn creativity into growth. Europe is not short of talent or ideas. Its cultural and creative sectors already employ over 8 million people and generate more than 5% of EU GDP – with the potential to reach 10% by 2030. But too often, great innovations struggle to reach the market, attract investment, or scale. This is where IP makes a difference. At the EUIPO, we see IP not just as a defensive tool, but as a lever to scale innovation, connect research with the market, and attract investment. IP is no longer a footnote – it’s becoming a strategic asset for growth and competitiveness. 💡 Innovation only creates value when it moves from concept to action. We are already putting this into practice through our work on IP-backed finance and by making IP simpler and more accessible for startups, SMEs and universities. In a fast-changing environment shaped by AI, this matters more than ever. The companies that will stand out will be those whose human creativity shapes how AI is used. Strong partnerships are key. Together with the EIT - European Institute of Innovation and Technology – and especially its EIT Culture & Creativity Knowledge and Innovation Community – we are helping build an ecosystem where ideas can grow, scale, and reach the market. The forum also featured outstanding contributions from speakers across Europe – including Anette Schaefer , Luca Perego and Anna Lindén , alongside innovators and practitioners such as Adam Colyer , Cecilia MoSze Tham and Daan Archer – and I thank them warmly for sharing their valuable insights. During the forum, the EUIPO Executive Director, João Negrão , and I also had the pleasure of meeting with Ms Teresa Riesgo Alcaide, Secretary General of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, who contributed to the event as a speaker. We exchanged on Spain’s evolving innovation ecosystem, priorities for 2026, and stronger coordination between EU innovation programmes and IP initiatives, notably in the context of the future European Innovation Act and the 28th Regime initiative. Many thanks to the EIT - European Institute of Innovation and Technology and the EIT Culture & Creativity Knowledge and Innovation Community for bringing together such a dynamic community – and to all the participants for the enriching discussions. #InnovationForum2026 #Innovation #IntellectualProperty #EIT #CreativeIndustries #AI #EUIPO

𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗘𝗨𝗜𝗣𝗢/ 𝗕𝗘𝗗𝗔 /𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗔 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿. 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆: 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲. Tuesday 21 April at 10.00 CEST. Join this upcoming webinar with Emmanuel Collin , EUIPO, Rogier Goos , ECTA, and Dita Danosa , BEDA, to explore how to effectively protect your designs in today’s competitive market. By combining the designer and business perspective of BEDA, the institutional framework of EUIPO and the strategic insights of ECTA practitioners, this webinar will show how design protection can be a practical business tool to strengthen differentiation, support growth and create competitive advantage. 💡 What you’ll learn: • The fundamentals of design protection in the EU • How to secure your designs efficiently • Common pitfalls when filing design applications • Practical strategies to strengthen your IP approach Gain valuable insights directly from leading organisations at the forefront of intellectual property and design. Don’t miss this webinar co-organised by EUIPO - European Union Intellectual Property Office , ECTA - European Communities Trade Mark Association , and BEDA - The Bureau of European Design Associations . Whether you're a designer, business owner, or IP professional, this session will help you safeguard the visual appearance of products and maximise their commercial value. 👉 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. #Webinar #DesignProtection #IntellectualProperty #EUIPO #ECTA #BEDA #Innovation