Article 152
Cooperation to promote convergence of practices and tools
- The Office and the central industrial property offices of the Member States and the
Benelux Office for Intellectual Property shall cooperate with each other to promote
convergence of practices and tools in the field of trade marks and designs.
Without prejudice to paragraph 3, this cooperation shall in particular cover the following
areas of activity:
- (a) the development of common examination standards;
- (b) the creation of common or connected databases and portals for Union-wide
consultation, search and classification purposes;
- (c) the continuous provision and exchange of data and information, including for the
purposes of feeding of the databases and portals referred to in point (b);
- (d) the establishment of common standards and practices, with a view to ensuring
interoperability between procedures and systems throughout the Union and
enhancing their consistency, efficiency and effectiveness;
- (e) the sharing of information on industrial property rights and procedures, including
mutual support to helpdesks and information centres;
- (f) the exchange of technical expertise and assistance in relation to the areas referred to
in points (a) to (e).
- On the basis of a proposal by the Executive Director, the Management Board shall define
and coordinate projects of interest to the Union and the Member States with regard to the
areas referred to in paragraphs 1 and 6, and shall invite the central industrial property
offices of the Member States and the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property to participate
in those projects.
The project definition shall contain the specific obligations and responsibilities of each
participating industrial property office of the Member States, the Benelux Office for
Intellectual Property and the Office. The Office shall consult with user representatives in
particular in the phases of definition of the projects and evaluation of their results.
- The central industrial property offices of the Member States and the Benelux Office for
Intellectual Property may opt out of, restrict or temporarily suspend their cooperation in the
projects referred to in the first subparagraph of paragraph 2.
When making use of the possibilities provided for in the first subparagraph, the central
industrial property offices of the Member States and the Benelux Office for Intellectual
Property shall provide the Office with a written statement explaining the reasons for their
decision.
- Once having committed to participate in certain projects, the central industrial property
offices of the Member States and the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property shall,
without prejudice to paragraph 3, participate effectively in the projects referred to in
paragraph 2 with a view to ensuring that they are developed, function, are interoperable
and kept up to date.
- The Office shall provide financial support to the projects referred to in paragraph 2 to the
extent that is necessary in order to ensure, for the purposes of paragraph 4, the effective
participation of the central industrial property offices of the Member States and the
Benelux Office for Intellectual Property in those projects. That financial support may take
the form of grants and in-kind contributions. The total amount of funding shall not exceed
15 % of the yearly revenue of the Office. The beneficiaries of grants shall be the central
industrial property offices of the Member States and the Benelux Office for Intellectual
Property. Grants may be awarded without calls for proposals in accordance with the
financial rules applicable to the Office and with the principles of grant procedures
contained in Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012 of the European Parliament and of
the Council and in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1268/2012.
- The Office and the relevant competent authorities of the Member States shall cooperate
with each other on a voluntary basis to promote the raising of awareness concerning the
trade mark system and the fight against counterfeiting. Such cooperation shall include
projects aiming, in particular, at the implementation of established standards and practices
as well as at organising education and training activities. The financial support for those
projects shall be part of the total amount of funding referred to in paragraph 5.
Paragraphs 2 to 5 shall apply mutatis mutandis.