All Eyes on Brexit
As INTA’s Chief Representative Officer, Europe, Hélène Nicora and her team are the Association’s eyes and ears at EU institutions and other stakeholder organizations. Based in Brussels, Belgium, Ms. Nicora works at the heart of the European Union.
The United Kingdom’s forthcoming departure from the European Union—Brexit—is keeping politicians, journalists, and many other groups, including businesses and lawyers, on their toes. Discussions in the mainstream press and in public may have largely ignored IP, but INTA is under no illusions about the scale of the problem.
“Brexit is not only an unprecedented political situation for the European Union, it is also unprecedented for businesses and citizens in Europe,” says Ms. Nicora.
“If IP issues are not properly addressed, it could have the potential to seriously derail trade and impact businesses and consumers,” Ms. Nicora declares.
The Brexit negotiations—on the U.K.’s withdrawal agreement, the transition period, and the nature of the future relations between the European Union and the United Kingdom—are lengthy and complex, and their outcome uncertain, says Ms. Nicora.
