ECTA (European Communities Trade Mark Association) ROUND TABLE OCTOBER 2010

In order to contribute to the debate on the EU trade mark system, which is particularly relevant in the context of the current Study on the overall functioning of the system launched by the European Commission, ECTA is organising a series of Round Tables in collaboration with the OHIM and the
National Trade Mark Offices, so that the stakeholders will have a better understanding of the effective impact of OHIM s activities and the CTM system in the different Member States and learn from the experience of the respective users. By repeating this Round Table on identical topics in the various EU Member States, ECTA hopes also to help the further harmonization of the different practices, both from a procedural and legal point of view, at EU level.

As a result, after The Hague (April 2008), Munich (March 2009), London (February 2010), Paris (April 2010) and Riga (July 2010) and before Cracow (22 October 2010), ECTA is organising, in cooperation with the Danish, Finnish and Swedish Patent and Trade Mark Offices and the OHIM, a Round Table in Helsinki on 13 September 2010.

The Round Table will address the following topics:

• the impact of the Community Trade Mark and OHIM on the activities of the Danish, Finnish and Swedish Trade Mark Offices and users;
• the strategies to protect trade marks in Europe: advantages and disadvantages of using the national, Community or International route;
• the Harmonization issues.