Thursday 19 June

08.00-18.30 Registration and Information desk
08.45-09.10 Annual General Meeting
09.10-09.30 Celebrating the 20th CTM Anniversary
Welcome
Domenico de Simone, ECTA President, Attorney at Law, European Intellectual Property Attorney, De Simone & Partners, IT

António Campinos, President of OHIM, ES

Mireia Curell, ECTA Organizing Committee, Curell Suñol SLP, ES
Luis de Larramendi, ECTA Organizing Committee, Elzaburu SLP, ES
Luis-Alfonso Durán, ECTA Organizing Committee, Durán-Corretjer SLP, ES

F. Peter Müller, ECTA First Vice-President, Müller Schupfner & Partner, DE
09.30-10.45 Latest strategies and steps for clearing, filing and obtaining an EU Trade Mark
Moderator: Luis-Alfonso Durán, ECTA Past President, Durán-Corretjer SLP, ES

STEP 1: Clearing Strategies:
  • Searching tools available at CTM and national and international level;
  • Where to search;
  • How to search;
  • Analysis of results;
  • Post search strategies i.e.: National, CTM and/or Madrid filing.

Tanya Fickenscher-Leonard, Head Global Trademarks, Sandoz International GmbH, DE and
Laurent Nowak, French & European Trademark and Design Attorney, Cabinet Plasseraud, FR

Discussion with the audience
10.45-11.15 Coffee Break
11.15-13.00 Latest strategies and steps for clearing, filing and obtaining an EU Trade Mark
Moderator: Keith Hodkinson, ECTA Council Member, Patent and Trademark Attorney, Marks & Clerk, UK

STEP 2: Filing Strategies
  • The sign: word mark, script, labels, packaging, 3D, colour / black & white etc.;
  • The goods/services: class headings, specific, broad, how many classes, etc.;
  • National, CTM (direct/Madrid), Madrid, etc., priority claim, seniority claim;
  • Negotiations and agreements with other parties (before or after filing, wait for opposition, etc.);
  • Seniority Claim;
  • CTM/CD or both.

Mei-lan Stark FOX Entertainment, INTA President, US and
Karla Hughes, Solicitor, Hogan Lovells, Alicante S.L. & Cia., ES

STEP 3: Obtaining Strategies

Examination

  • Motivation of objections. Who has the burden of the proof?;
  • Arguments and evidences;
  • The acquired distinctiveness burden;
  • Geographic names;
  • Unconventional trade marks (3D, packaging).

Opposition Applicant’s perspective

  • Negotiations to settle. Limitation, coexistence agreements.
  • Request of proof of use
  • Conversion alternatives
  • How to draft a convincing reply

Opposition Opponent`s perspective

  • Negotiations to settle. Limitation, coexistence agreements;
  • Request of proof of use;
  • Conversion alternatives;
  • How to draft a convincing reply.

OHIM

  • Examination procedure of opposition.
  • How examiners analyze the arguments of parties and deliberate before adopting a decision
  • Recommendations to users

Dr. Nikolaos Lyberis, ECTA Council Member, Attorney at Law, Vayanos Kostopoulos, Member of the Board of Directors of the Greek Patent Office (OBI), GR
Lia Young, Attorney, Trade Marks, Law and Public Policy, Legal Services Division, Caterpillar Legal Services, UK and
Karin Kuhl, Head of Service Quality Matters and Cancellation (OD), OHIM, ES

Discussion with the audience
13.00-14.30 Lunch
14.30-15.00 How to catch the pirates - criminal aspects of trade mark infringement and how to involve police forces
Moderator: Jordi Güell, ECTA Council Member and Member of the ECTA Anti-Counterfeiting Committee, Attorney at Law, Curell Suñol SLP, ES

Rosella Mangion, Legal Officer, INTERPOL, FR

Discussion with the audience
15.00-16.00 CASE LAW UPDATE I - OHIM and EC Case Law
Moderator: Alexander von Mühlendahl, Bardehle Pagenberg, DE

Julio Laporta, Head of Service, Legal Practice (ICLAD) OHIM, ES and
Christoph Bartos, Member of the Boards of Appeal, OHIM, ES

Discussion with the audience
16.00-16.30 Coffee Break
16.30-18.00 CASE LAW UPDATE II – EC and ECJ
Moderator: Alexander von Mühlendahl, Bardehle Pagenberg, DE

Developments in dilution law, in particular after the recent Wolf decision by the ECJ and how to maintain rights to a mark, Prof. Charles Gielen, Professor in IP law at Groningen University and of Counsel at NautaDutilh, NL

Impact of EC and ECJ case law on national jurisprudence, Prof. Annette Kur, Max Planck Institute, DE

Overview of recent EC and ECJ decisions, Achim Bender, Attorney at Law, Vossius und Partner, DE

Discussion with the audience
18.30-19.45 ECTA Committee Chairs meeting (by invitation only)
20.00-Midnight Dinner at La Cantera

Next to the sea in a privileged area of the Alicante bay, a dinner party in a relaxing atmosphere on a magnificent terrace.

Dress Code: Smart Casual