European and international cooperation

During 2024, the DGPI-UIBM intensified its collaboration at European level with EUIPO, participating in initiatives, working groups and projects on the convergence of practices, cooperation in the digital field and the promotion of measures for small enterprises.

The Directorate continued to support projects such as the European Union Intellectual Property Network (EUIPN) and the European Information IP Centre (EIPIC), as well as the European 'Ideas Powered for Business' Fund (SME Fund). The latest, which is particularly relevant and interesting for small and medium-sized enterprises, aims to provide them with financial support for the registration of trademarks, designs and patents at national and EU level. In 2024, the measure saw the early closure of some of the vouchers due to exhaustion of funds, confirming the interest among businesses in these financial measures. In particular, Italian companies submitted a total of 2,413 applications.

To develop knowledge of Intellectual Property, a communication and information campaign was launched in October 2024, organised with EUIPO addressed to businesses with little or no familiarity with IP in order to support entrepreneurs, start-uppers and innovators to increase their knowledge of how to protect their creative ideas with a patent, trademark or design/model.

Cooperation with the EPO also continued: following the public consultation and discussion phase with the National Offices in 2023, in 2024 the Directorate was called upon to approve the new 2028 EPO Strategic Plan at the EPO board meeting.

Also, DGPI-UIBM attended the sessions of the Working Groups on Intellectual Property, of the Group of Experts on Industrial Property (GIPP) and of the informal TRIPs meetings.

In particular, within the GIPP Working Group and in the framework of the cooperation with EUIPO and the European Commission DG Grow, an intensive exchange took place with Alicante, Brussels and other National IP Offices to prepare for the implementation phase of the new EU legislation on artisanal and industrial geographical indications (GIs). This will continue throughout 2025, considering that the new legislation is expected to enter into force on 1 December 2025.

Within the framework of WIPO, the Directorate took part in the general assemblies, strengthening cooperation relations with the member countries of the Lisbon Union.

Finally, on 1 July 2024, the inauguration ceremony of the headquarters of the Central Division of the Unified Patent Court was held in Milan, which joins the local division already in operation. In this context, the Directorate continued to provide technical support to Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and other central administrations, such as the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Economy and Finance. It also collaborated with the DPE to ensure Italy’s participation in the work of the UPC Administrative Committee and Budget Committee and the creation of the UPC Arbitration and Mediation Centre.