OHIM signs on three dotted-lines
The Office of Harmonization for the Internal Market (OHIM) has completed a hat-trick of agreements as its plans for greater co-operation with international IP organisations and national IP offices progress.
OHIM president António Campinos and World Intellectual Organization (WIPO) director general Frances Gurry recently signed a memorandum of understanding.
Campinos signed similar agreements with Korean Intellectual Property Offi ce (KIPO) commissioner Soowon Lee and European Patent Office (EPO) president Benoît Battistelli.
The agreements are part of the office’s strategic plan for 2012 - 2015 to increase the importance it puts on international co-operation.
OHIM and WIPO intend to co-operate on information technology systems, data exchange, human resources exchange and training.
OHIM and WIPO will also explore how to avoid the duplication of work in global IP infrastructure, enable WIPO and OHIM staff to undertake temporary secondments from one organisation to the other and jointly provide training for officials at national IP offices, according to their memorandum of understanding.
“We are all part of the same IP system and it is vital, in the interests of users and other stakeholders that we co-ordinate our efforts, create synergies and avoid unnecessary duplication,” said Campinos in a statement on the WIPO agreement.
“We need to develop the infrastructure for global markets,” said Gurry in the same statement.
OHIM and KIPO will co-operate on the development of common statistical parameters and electronically exchange priority documents involving trademark applications.
OHIM’s agreement with the EPO aims to increase the efficiency of the IP system within the EU and globally.
Speaking about OHIM’s agreement with the EPO, Campinos said: “With so many overlaps, there is a danger of duplication, and perhaps even a kind of wasteful competition. Equally, there is a huge opportunity to pull together, combine our strengths and unlock some synergies.”
All of OHIM’s memorandums of understanding require no immediate financial transfers, as these will be arranged as and when activities are carried out.
