FICPI's Communications Committee is pleased to announce the April 2026 issue of EXCO News, reporting from the October 2025 ExCo in Naples. This is the third publication of this special newsletter for members since pre-pandemic times, with the first reporting on the London ExCo held in October 2023.

The Executive Committee (ExCo) met in Naples on 13-16 October 2025 and passed several important resolutions on:

  • Speed of Design Examination and Availability of Deferral
  • Foreign Filing Licences
  • Principles for Preliminary Injunctions
  • Influence of a Title or a Product Indication of a Design on the Scope of Protection
  • Human-Centric Use of AI in the IP System
  • Inventive Step of Antibody Claims
  • Cooperation in the IP Ecosystem

Workshops were held on:

  • Antibodies
  • Design protection
  • Business Intelligence in IP firms: how to take decisions based on data
  • Trade mark classification
  • Understanding IP litigation insurance (PMC)
  • Automation of workflow (PMC)

A position paper was adopted on provisional patent applications.  

The new, reimagined FICPI EXCO News contains articles on these topics, as well as how to get involved with the work of FICPI's Study & Work Committee and PMC, the elections process and results, The Malcolm Royal Award, and an introduction to FICPI's new Bureau.  We hope you will enjoy this insight into the work of FICPI’s ExCo and our nominations process. 

Our thanks to all who contributed to this issue!

Special thanks to Richa Pandey, CET Executive, Assistant Reporter General and Partner at CMS Induslaw, and to our Editor, Catherine Dhanjal

This issue is available to FICPI members only, via download or read online here

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If you have any questions, please get in touch!

 

FICPI EXCO News April 2026