The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has introduced a new e-Filing Registered Community Design (RCD) form which will replace the existing forms needed to file a design application. The RCD form will coexist with the current form from January 2024 to April 2024, after which only the RCD easy filing and new RCD advanced form will be available. Set to take over from 13 April 2024, the new RCD brings a fresh and adaptative design, enhanced accessibility, guided filing process, tailored configurations, automatic saved drafts and a new application programming interface.

Law360, London: The EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) said 3 November 2025 it has launched an AI-powered tool for applicants to check if their trade marks might get rejected at an early stage, in an application to make the filing journey simpler as part of a five-year strategy plan.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has launched a new regulatory system for protecting geographical indications for craft and industrial products. The system allows applications for registration of Craft and Industrial products as Geographical Indications (CIGIs) through national authorities or directly with EUIPO. Single registration provides non-expirable EU-wide protection, with hundreds of products including jewellery, glass, textiles and musical instruments potentially eligible.

Law360, London: The EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) must weigh up potential conflicts with UK trademarks when considering applications filed before Brexit, an adviser to the EU's top court said 10 April 2025.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and European Commission's Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union has published their 2024 enforcement results showing 112m counterfeit items were detained across the EU, valued at €3.8bn. The figures represent the second highest detention volume and highest estimated value on record. EUIPO simultaneously launched an IP Enforcement Detentions Dashboard using Power BI to provide interactive access to enforcement data across three perspectives: overall, internal market and detentions.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has published a report detailing its findings of the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on EU trade mark (EUTM) filings. The report covers data sources, the macroeconomic environment during COVID-19, the evolution of total EUTM filings and the EUTM filings from Member States. The analysis revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic’s onset in 2020 and its continuation into 2021 had a temporary but noticable impact on the volume and nature of EUTM filings.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has published the first EU-level study examining how social media influencers engage with intellectual property rights. The research, conducted by KPMG and ICF Next, surveyed 300 influencers across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube from all 27 EU member states. Key findings include that 55% of influencers with registered IP rights operate their own brands compared to 24% without such rights, and 48% believe discussing IP respect would not impact follower counts.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has published a study investigating the empirical connection between global counterfeit trade and labour exploitation, finding that weak governance, limited rule‑of‑law enforcement and social vulnerability create conditions in which counterfeiting and forced labour flourish. The study shows that countries sourcing counterfeit goods exhibit higher levels of forced labour, child labour, informal employment and fatal occupational injuries, with econometric analysis confirming that increases in forced labour prevalence are associated with increases in counterfeit trade value. It concludes that counterfeiting is also a labour market problem and supports integrated policy responses combining anti‑counterfeiting strategies with labour rights protections and coordinated enforcement.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has published a study mapping copyright-related databases and metadata standards across the EU to support better access to copyright information. The study found that data on works, authorship, ownership and rights status is dispersed across unconnected systems, causing duplication, legal uncertainty and higher transaction costs for creators and right holders. It noted that sectors such as film, television, music and publishing manage metadata according to their own operational needs, limiting interoperability. The study identifies ways to improve access to copyright metadata and supports the development of CopyrightView, an initiative intended to increase transparency and access to reliable information. Its findings will inform expert group work, feasibility assessments and technical specifications developed with stakeholders.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has published survey findings showing that product design is an important factor in purchasing decisions across the EU. The survey found that 73% of consumers are willing to pay more for better-designed products, while 72% consider design important when choosing what to buy, particularly in the furniture and fashion sectors. EUIPO also highlights the impact of counterfeiting on design-led industries, noting that 13% of Europeans have intentionally purchased counterfeit goods. EUIPO says that design-intensive industries employ around 28 million people and contribute more than 16% of EU GDP and adds that recent reforms to EU design legislation have simplified procedures and improved access to design protection.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has published a study on 12 May 2025 examining the legal implications of using copyright-protected works to train generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems. The study analyses current EU legislation, including the Copyright in Directive (EU) 2019/790 (Single Market Directive) and anticipated provisions of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act 2024, focusing on three areas: assessing the legal status of using copyright-protected material for AI training, evaluating rights protection mechanisms, and addressing challenges associated with the regulatory framework for AI-generated content. The report also considers the economic impact of copyright-intensive sectors and potential revenue opportunities from an emerging market for AI training data. The EUIPO has also announced plans to launch a Copyright Knowledge Centre in November 2025 to provide centralised copyright services and policy guidance.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has published a study on EU Member States' potential for protecting craft and industrial Geographical Indications (CIGIs) under the new Regulation (EU) 2023/2411. The study reveals a fragmented approach to protection across the EU, strong private sector interest in CIGI registration, and the potential for eight Member States to request derogation from designating a competent authority. It identifies 132 existing GI names that will cease to exist and 380 product names potentially protectable under the new system, highlighting the significant impact of this regulatory change.