Dear friends,
As you might know, 2010 will be a special year in the history of ECTA, since it corresponds to the 30th anniversary of the Association. It will also be an important year for IPR protection in Europe as the European Commission is undergoing a Study on the overall functioning of the trade mark system in Europe, which will hopefully provide a solid basis for the improvement of trade mark protection in the European Union.
Barcelona will no doubt be a wonderful place for the celebration of the 30th Anniversary of ECTA and gather delegates from all over the world. Besides, this year’s event will be an exceptional opportunity for delegates since we are integrating to our programme a Seminar organized for the first time together with our sister association ASIPI (Interamerican Association of Intellectual Property).
Barcelona, a very modern yet ancient Mediterranean city, founded in the 1st century B.C., is well known owing to its exceptional location and also as a cross road of different cultures. Everyone is welcome in the city. Barcelona is also well known by its unique fusion of the old and the new, always in the avant-garde of cultures and innovation and famous for its design, architecture and gastronomy.
For the Conference, we have put together a programme in this atmosphere, under the title "Trade Mark and Design Architecture -The Business Needs". The professional programme will start with a very appealing ASIPI session devoted to compare trade mark systems in Europe and America that would be an ideal opportunity to learn more about both systems for Europeans and Americans. The ECTA programme will start with a workshop on product design protection, with BCD (Barcelona Centre de Disseny) as special guest.
We will continue our working programme asking ourselves whether we are going in the right direction in IPR protection, and will review the status of the European Commission’s Study on the overall functioning ofthe trade mark system in Europe. We will not forget enforcement issues (raising forum shopping questions referred to the election of National and Community trade marks as basis for litigation) and will also ask ourselves if it is possible to establish a methodology to determine whether there is or not a likelihood of confusion of trade marks. A working programme in Barcelona cannot finish without talking about wines and thus we have included a session on trade marks and geographical indications focussing in particular on the wine industry.
But besides this attractive and interesting working programme we have drawn up a fascinating social programme. Every evening you will be taken to emblematic places in Barcelona and we promise amazing entertainment, which we cannot reveal yet. For accompanying persons we will offer a walk through the gothic quarter including strolling in the famous and colourful markets of La Boqueria and Santa Caterina, as well as a visit to the Cistercian Monastery of Poblet with wine tasting in a typical Catalan cellar.
Saturday will reserve different exciting options at your choice: a football league or a golf tournament for those fond of sports, and visits to museums or a guided tour in the Old Town for those eager to know more about the city. All participants to the excursions will have lunch together in a magic hidden place overlooking the Barcelona harbour.
The Conference will be held in the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya. The Palau is ideally located in the gardens of the main hotel Rey Juan Carlos I, and at a very convenient distance to the remaining hotels, all of them in one of the most famous business and shopping districts of Barcelona with easy access to the city centre.
You have many reasons to join us at our 29th Annual Conference next June. We very much look forward to being able to welcome you to Barcelona.