This was the first virtual meeting, but nonetheless almost all stakeholders, including the national offices, WIPO, and user associations such as MARQUES participated.
We were brought up to speed on the various actions by national offices, sometimes using KYC (Know your customer) legislation to act against bank accounts of scammers. For the first time not only Europol, but also Eurojust as the organization of European public prosecutors participated.
How to deal with scams
EUIPO is urging anyone who receives any suspected scam communications to send them to the Office. A dedicated e-mail address is being created in the framework of the Anti-Scam Network. For now, users can email the general Information Service at information@euipo.europa.eu.
MARQUES members can also send any scam letters and invoices received as well as any other feedback to scaminvoices@marques.org. The MARQUES Anti-Fraud Task Force is in direct contact with the Network and will ensure such notifications are processed. In order to gather evidence, it is important to receive scans of the envelopes as well as the letters or invoices themselves.
MARQUES is committed to closely monitoring scams and similar fraud activities and continues to collaborate with EUIPO and the Anti-Scam Network in fighting fraud and other criminal activities affecting IP rights and IP right holders and raising awareness in the IP community and with the public at large.
New scam circulating
EUIPO has circulated details of a new scam that is circulating. The scam involves a fake EUIPO decision notification, and demand for payment of a registration fee.
The scam uses EUIPO's logo, name, acronym and letterhead, and has been reported by various users.
EUIPO has posted details of the latest scam on its social media pages, and encourages people to share and repost to warn as many users as possible.
The Office has contacted the relevant banks in Poland and has lodged a criminal complaint with the Office of the Public Prosecutor in Warsaw. A criminal investigation is pending.
EUIPO advises users to protect themselves against scams. In particular note that: (1) EUIPO never sends invoices or demands for payment to users; (2) statutory fees are published online and EUIPO only uses two Spanish bank accounts; (3) if there is any doubt about an invoice, contact EUIPO; and (4) users should consider registering for the User Area on the EUIPO website.
For more information, read New misleading invoice alert - fake EUIPO decisions on the EUIPO website.
User Group Meeting
The second Vice-Chair of the MARQUES ETMLP Team, Riccardo Fecchio, and MARQUES External Relations Officer, Alessandra Romeo, attended the EUIPO User Group Meeting that was rescheduled from March and held via video conference on the morning of 29 April.
Many user associations and EUIPO officers joined the meeting, the purpose of which was to review the latest developments and initiatives at the Office, particularly in the light of the changes resulting from the pandemic.
In his address, the Executive Director of EUIPO, Christian Archambeau, reassured user association representatives that all EUIPO’s operations are on track, IT systems and connectivity work well, and initiatives have been taken to keep all employees connected.
Besides the collaboration and support that EUIPO must provide to the European Commission, the Office is exploring in parallel other streams toward helping businesses in the emergency.
In particular, EUIPO aims to accelerate the development and implementation of a package of measures to support SMEs, in the framework of its SME programme under Strategic Driver 2 of the EUIPO Strategic Plan 2025, in response to the crisis and to help the economy.
Look out for an update from the ETMLP Team’s members who are responsible for following all European Cooperation-related matters.
Issue 112
MARQUES is launching new educational and networking initiatives to support members in the current crisis, including webinars and a weekly Virtual Coffee Break email. The next webinar is on Brand Protection in a Time of Turmoil and is on 14 May
Members of the MARQUES Anti-Counterfeiting and Parallel Trade Team have published two articles on the issue of counterfeit pharmaceuticals
WIPO is hosting a number of webinars that may be of interest to MARQUES members. Plus: Director General Francis Gurry has presented his annual report
On 29 April, Willem Leppink, who heads the MARQUES Anti-Fraud Task Force, and Alessandra Romeo, MARQUES External Relations Officer, joined the 5th Anti-Scam Network Meeting, led by EUIPO. MARQUES was also represented at the EUIPO User Group Meeting held on the same day
The CJEU has published rulings in the Coty v Amazon, Gomboc Kutato and Gugler France cases
The call for entries for the DesignEuropa Awards 2020 has been extended to 8 May
The MARQUES blogs include articles on recent developments in trade mark and design law, including updates from China, Turkey and Ecuador