Are you involved in an intellectual property (IP) dispute, but you want to avoid a battle in court? The Mediation Centre at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) might be your answer! Managing IP disputes can be particularly challenging, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with limited resources, time and IP knowledge. To address this challenge, the EUIPO’s Mediation Centre provides alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services to all parties involved in IP disputes pending before the EUIPO.
The EUIPO’s experienced team of mediators and case handlers are dedicated to assisting parties in finding effective and amicable solutions tailored to their specific business needs.
The advantages of mediation are numerous. Firstly, the process is voluntary with the goal of reaching a mutually beneficial resolution, in a neutral, confidential environment, ensuring that commercial reputations and trade secrets remain protected from public disclosure. Secondly, mediation allows for flexible and creative solutions that may not be available through legal judgments, enabling both parties to find a win-win outcome. Finally, the services are completely free of charge.
By choosing mediation through the EUIPO’s Mediation Centre, you can expect an efficient procedure that encourages communication and cooperation between parties, leading to win-win solutions based on their unique business interests.
It is worth noting that while pending disputes must involve European Union Trade Marks (EUTMs) and/or registered Community designs (RCDs), parties have the liberty to include other IP rights such as copyright, domain names and patents or any other related pending disputes between them in the resolution process, regardless of jurisdiction.
If you want to learn more about how mediation can help you protect your IP rights and achieve your business goals, visit the EUIPO’s Mediation Centre website and check out the ten reasons why your IP dispute may be eligible for mediation.