FICPI-Italy’s event offers the opportunity to gain the latest information on the important new rules as well as to cement business relationships and create new links
The Collegio dei Consulenti in Proprietà Industriale (FICPI-Italy) organised a half-day seminar on the New Rules of Procedure of the EPO Boards of Appeal in Milan on 5 December 2019, focusing on the new rules that entered into force on 1 January 2020. The seminar was supported by FICPI International.
The seminar was open, free of charge, to the members of the Collegio and was also open to members of other FICPI Associations in countries neighbouring Italy. In order to disseminate further the information and attract potential new FICPI members, each FICPI member participating in the event was also invited to bring along, as a guest, a patent attorney who is not yet a member of FICPI.
The seminar was attended by around 50 participants, including 34 FICPI members.
The seminar topic was presented by Daniel Xavier Thomas, a former EPO Director and a highly reputable and experienced lecturer on EPC Case Law for continuous professional education.
In the first session, Daniel presented the new Rules of Procedure, focusing on amendments that are likely to affect radically representatives’ behaviour and strategy in appeal proceedings which arise from both examination and opposition at the first instance.
In a second session, Daniel adopted a practical and lively approach, by presenting a broad landscape of existing Board of Appeal Case Law, to show how decisions made under the new Rules may deviate significantly from the case law to date. Indeed, the independent views of our lecturer allowed the audience to identify critical and controversial aspects relating to the implementation of the new Rules which are likely to be of considerable relevance in future case law.
The presentations are available on the Collegio ficpi.it website.
We are thankful to Daniel for his dedicated efforts and to FICPI International for their support.
FICPI’s view and involvement
Events such as this allow FICPI members (and, sometimes, guests) to gain insights from FICPI members, IP Offices and the wider FICPI community at sessions where attendees have a strong shared interest in the topic. As well as an opportunity to gain insights from the FICPI community, they offer the opportunity to cement working relationships and to create new ones. FICPI International is pleased to support national and regional meetings by its member sections and associations as a key initiative in achieving its strategic goal of increasing participation in FICPI by younger patent and trade mark attorneys. Please contact the Secretary General if you would like FICPI’s support to hold a meeting in your country or region.
Next steps
- Consider joining FICPI’s Study & Work Committee on European Patents (CET 4)
- Visit FICPI-Italy’s website to find more information and details of upcoming events: http://ficpi.it and find out more about the FICPI National Association here: https://ficpi.org/organisation/national-associations/ficpi-italy
- Find FICPI members in Italy from the FICPI member directory: https://ficpi.org/member-search