European Union Intellectual Property Office

The European Union Intellectual Property Office started in 1994. It is the European Union Agency responsible for the registration of the European Union trade mark (EUTM) (formerly known as "community trade mark") and the registered Community design (RCD), two unitary intellectual property rights valid across the 27 Member States of the EU. Every year, it registers an average of 135 000 EU trade marks and close to 100 000 designs. Businesses and citizens can get exclusive rights for trade mark and design protection throughout the European Union with a single application. It is in Alicante. It also runs the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights, which brings public and private stakeholders together in the fight against piracy and counterfeiting. References