Enhancing EUIPO services: Prioritising user engagement and collaboration

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has a long-standing, close and regular relationship with IP user associations. From official fora which meets twice a year (Liaison Meetings and User Group Meeting) to the customer satisfaction survey and panels, the EUIPO informs user associations of the latest developments in intellectual property (IP), and collects their feedback for better planning and implementing key components of EUIPO activities such as European Cooperation Projects (ECPs), EU common practices and the EUIPO Strategic Plan (SP2030). In addition, users are involved in discussions on emerging technologies and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in IP examination processes, as well as in the user experience of EUIPO flagship tools such as TMview, DesignView, and GIview.

The EUIPO is committed to fostering strong relationships with user associations. We collaborate with prominent organizations, with an international scope. These partnerships enable the EUIPO to share knowledge, best practices, and expertise, ultimately enhancing the IP landscape.

At the national level, we engage with associations such as ANDEMA, to gain valuable insights from a national perspective. This complementary approach allows us to address IP challenges from various angles. One key area of focus is enforcement and counterfeiting, which we address through the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights. By exchanging views and expertise with our user association partners, we can better understand the complexities of IP infringement and develop effective strategies to combat it.

User group meetings with the EUIPO

The EUIPO promotes cooperation and knowledge sharing among its stakeholders. To achieve this, the EUIPO hosts two User Group Meetings annually, providing a valuable platform for user associations to exchange views, discuss procedures, practices, and tools, and address common challenges.

Building on the success of European Cooperation Projects under SP2025, the EUIPO is extending the conversation with user associations to its virtual communities (VCs). As outlined in the EUIPO's Strategic Plan 2030, these VCs will serve as dedicated platforms for experts to share information, exchange best practices, and drive innovation. By leveraging these virtual forums, the EUIPO aims to facilitate ongoing dialogue, foster collaboration, and ensure that the intellectual property community stays updated on the latest developments and trends.

In a bid to strengthen relations of the European Union Intellectual Property Network (EUIPN) - a network that brings together national intellectual property offices across the European Union - with user associations, the EUIPO is also hosting Liaison Meetings. These gatherings bring together experts from national IP offices, user associations, and other international IP organisations to discuss technical matters and recent case-law. Three meeting configurations are held twice a year: Liaison Meetings on cooperation, trade marks, and designs. They play a vital role in shaping the EUIPN and paving the way for the adoption of key decisions by the EUIPO’s Management Board.

More than 150 IP experts gathered at the EUIPO's recent Liaison Meetings from 31 March to 2 April 2025 and more than 20 User Associations joined the User Group Meeting on 3 April 2025. The meetings focused on implementing the SP2030, aimed at creating a more inclusive and sustainable IP ecosystem, as well as an international "IP Alliance", next-gen European Cooperation Projects, and Virtual Communities (VCs) (which will focus on specific areas such as IP examination, quality assurance, and IT security), updates on the Designs Legislative Reform and the impact of AI on stakeholder engagement.

Bilateral meetings and User Associations‘ annual conferences

The EUIPO is also engaging with user associations in a series of bilateral meetings, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing to drive progress in the IP landscape. As part of this exercise, the EUIPO met recently with several key stakeholders: the European trade mark association (ECTA) on 28 February, ANDEMA (Spanish trade mark association) on 25 March, and will meet MARQUES (European trade mark association) on 4 April. These bilateral meetings provide a platform for open exchange of information, sharing of best practices, and discussion of technical issues of mutual interest, such as the new craft and industrial GI system, the new Virtual Communities or trade mark and design protection as well as future trends. Furthermore, the EUIPO participates in various annual gatherings of user associations all over the EU, including the 2024 APRAM, ECTA and MARQUES annual conferences.

Stakeholder Quality Assurance Panels (SQAP) audits

The SQAP audits were launched with the aim to integrate the users’ perspective into the quality management system and to narrow the gap between the users’ perception of quality and the quality measured by the EUIPO. At SQAP audits, users have the chance to contribute directly to improving the quality of the Office’s decisions. The last SQAP audit took place on 26-27 March, where 14 user associations checked a sample of cancellation decisions against the EUIPO quality criteria.

Customer panels

Since 2020, the EUIPO coordinates customer panels where customers are invited to provide feedback on selected EUIPO services. The participants include members of User Associations who contribute to the panels by representing the needs of their customers regarding a particular topic of interest, as well as other customers such as IP experts and SMEs. Through the customer panels, the EUIPO aims to better understand customer needs and behaviours, get feedback on customer experience with our services, and discuss possible improvements to better meet customer needs. The last customer panel took place on 25 March and covered EUIPO supportive instruments for SMEs to get a better understanding of the critical success factors for SMEs and IP experts to participate in in pro bono initiatives that offer IP support free of charge, and to improve the programme in the future.

Customer satisfaction survey

The EUIPO takes a user-driven approach to all its operations to provide a top-quality service. The EUIPO regularly conducts a survey to assess the satisfaction of customers with the services provided by the EUIPO. Under the new SP2030, the Office aims to redefine and improve the customer experience by delivering innovative IP products and services, as well as consistent, legally sound, predictable and high-quality IP rights in a timely manner.

On 3 April 2025, the EUIPO launched the latest customer satisfaction survey, and contacted customers who will have until 24 April to submit their responses. Their insights will help the Office identify areas for improvement and guide the development of enhanced services to better meet customer needs.

Craft and industrial GI producer groups

Starting December 2025, the EUIPO will be the EU authority responsible for managing the registration of craft and industrial GIs at EU level, following the EU Regulation on geographical indication protection for craft and industrial products. Ahead of the launch of the registration process, the EUIPO started to build a close dialogue with craft and industrial GI producer groups, representing future users of the EU CIGI system. Whereas the senior EUIPO management is visiting and meeting potential craft and industrial GI producers in various Member States, such as Belgian Pierre Bleue German or Lauscha Glass, the EUIPO experts are participating in national events co-orginased by the European Commission and national IP offices, such as those happening in Riga on 8 April and Zagreb on 9 April. Additionally, the EUIPO hosted a successful international GI Conference in January with many craft GI producers participating among more than 2.000 audience.