CONFERENCE: OPENING OF THE "OFFICE FOR HARMONIZATION OF THE INTERNAL MARKET” TO THE CITIZENSHIP

CONFERENCE: OPENING OF THE "OFFICE FOR HARMONIZATION OF THE INTERNAL MARKET" TO THE CITIZENSHIP

Presentation:

The conference “OFFICE FOR HARMONIZATION OF THE INTERNAL MARKET”, which will take place on February 17, 18 and 19, is part of the academic and extracurricular activities carried out in the framework of the 10th anniversary of the Permanent University. Among the foreseen aims for the commemoration of the SENIOR programme of the University of Alicante, the effort for achieving the opening of our University to the citizenship should be underlined.
The OHIM, acronym that stands for Office for Harmonization of the Internal Market (Trade marks, designs and models) wanted to collaborate with this objective to approach this European institution of transnational level that has the mission to grant and protect the patent rights of companies in the advance and consolidate the development of the great internal market of the European Union, to our university community and to the citizenship.
This community agency, which has its head office in Alicante, Spain, has contributed actively to the perfection of the common European market, which is based on the free circulation of persons, products, services and capital, and on the competition between economic agents. The trade marks are an essential instrument, as they allow the companies to identify their products and services on the markets, differentiating them from the ones of their competitors; they contribute thereby to the development of business activities and the economic and social growth. From the introduction of the community trade mark in 1994 on, more than 420,000 trade marks have been registered by 250,000 companies. The registered designs and models, which have been existing since 2003, are more than 300,000.
 Regarding the sociological aspect, the OHIM has also been of great importance for our city because of its contribution for more than 15 years now to the incorporation of a high number of European employees, who have, together with their families, increased the multicultural and plurilinguistic reality in Alicante.
With this conference our intention is to open the OHIM to the students of the Permanent University in particular and to the University community in general, so that they get to know better and more closely the institution, its organization, structure, functions, services, human resources and infrastructure.
Therefore, we invite the academic community, professors, students interested in the technical, social and legal aspects concerning the common European market and the patent rights, the experts and researchers in this field, and in general the citizens interested in getting to know this European Agency, to participate and to enrol in the conference.     
 
 

Provisional Programme

Wednesday, February 17 from 17:00 to 21:00
- The OHIM: its creation and European dimension.
- The Community Law (free circulation of merchandise, capital, persons and goods).
- European Patent Rights and their importance for the companies.
- Colloquium
Participation: Oreste Montalto (Head of the dispute unity)
Place: Rafael Altamira Hall- Alicante Town University Venue.
C/ Ramón y Cajal nº 4, 03003-Alicante.

Thursday, February 18 from 17:00 to 21:00
- The Community Trade Marks
Presentation: Julio Laporta- (Member of the Policy of Industrial Property Department)
- The Community Designs
Presentation: José Izquierdo- (Head of the sector Special Cooperation Programmes, Institutional Affairs and External Relations Department, OHIM)
- Colloquium
Place: Rafael Altamira Hall- Alicante Town University Venue.
C/ Ramón y Cajal nº 4, 03003-Alicante.

Friday, February 19 from 11:00 to 12:00
Institutional visit of the OHIM: tour around the agency and session in the meeting hall.  
- Reception and Welcome
- The OHIM Administrative Board and Budget Committee and cooperation programmes
Presentation: Susana Pérez- (Head of the sector, Institutional Affaire and External Relations Department, OHIM)
Place: OHIM Avenida de Europa 4, E-03008, Alicante