Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

11.12.2003 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 300 A/1

## III

_(Notices)_

# OFFICE FOR HARMONIZATION IN THE INTERNAL MARKET

**VACANCY NOTICE FOR A POST OF MEMBER OF THE BOARDS OF APPEAL OF THE OFFICE**
**FOR HARMONIZATION IN THE INTERNAL MARKET**

**(Trade Marks and Designs)**

**(VEXT/03/509/A/BoA)**

(2003/C 300 A/01)

1. **DESCRIPTION OF THE OFFICE**

The Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs), ‘the Office’, was
established by Council Regulation (EC) No 40/94 of 20 December 1993 on the Community trade mark
(OJ L 11, 14.1.1994).

The Office, which has legal personality and is independent as regards technical, administrative and
financial matters, is responsible for administering the Community trade mark and the Community design
systems. Community trade marks and designs registered by the Office produce their effects throughout
the whole of the European Union.

The total number of Community trade mark applications filed by the end of December 2003 was
approximately 345 000, of which approximately 50 000 were filed in 2003. 11 000 Community designs
applications were filed during the same year. The Office’s budget for 2003 is approximately
EUR 157 million and the number of posts is in the region of 700.

The languages of the Office are Spanish, German, English, French and Italian.

The Office has its seat in Alicante, Spain.

2. **THE BOARDS OF APPEAL**

The Boards of Appeal are responsible for deciding on appeals against decisions of the examiners, the
Opposition Divisions, the Administration of Trade Marks and Designs Division and the Cancellation
Divisions of the Office. The members of the Boards of Appeal are independent. In their decisions they are
not bound by any instructions.

Decisions of the Boards of Appeal are taken by Boards composed of a chairperson and two members.
Two of the three must be legally qualified. According to service requirements, members may be appointed
to one or several Boards of Appeal.

C 300 A/2 EN Official Journal of the European Union 11.12.2003

The Boards of Appeal currently consist of one President, three chairpersons and 11 members. The
Registry and the Scientific Service provide support services.

The total number of appeals filed by the end of September 2003 was approximately 5 000, with
approximately 3 950 of those cases being closed by that date. Overall, approximately 66 % of all cases
established English as the language of the proceedings, followed by German (20 %), French (6 %), Spanish
(5 %) and Italian (2 %).

3. **POST TO BE FILLED**

The Office is seeking candidates for a post of member of the Boards of Appeal.

4. **APPOINTMENT**

Members of the Boards of Appeal are appointed, for a period of five years, by the Council of the European
Union acting on a proposal from the Administrative Board of the Office ( [1] ). This term of office is
renewable.

The date foreseen for taking up the duties is 1 September 2004 or as soon as possible thereafter.

5. **CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT**

A five-year contract as a member of the temporary staff pursuant to Article 2(a) of the Conditions of
employment of other servants of the European Communities, in category A, grade 5 ( [2] ).

Employment shall be terminated either on the date established in the contract or at the request of the
member of the temporary staff in question, upon the conclusion of three months’ notice, without
prejudice to the relevant provisions of the abovementioned Conditions of employment.

6. **BASIC REQUIREMENTS**

Candidates must be nationals of one of the Member States of the European Union or of one of the
following States: Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia
and Slovakia.

Candidates must not have been convicted or found guilty of any criminal offence.

7. **MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED**

Candidates must be able to work in a multilingual environment (a body of the European Union). A large
number of cases must be decided within reasonable time limits and in a collegial way.

( [1] ) A modification of the rules governing the appointment of members of the Boards of Appeal is under way. When
this modification enters into force the competent authority will be the Administrative Board of the Office.
( [2] ) The Commission has formally transmitted to the Council a proposal for a new career structure. In case of
approval, the recruitment will be done in the equivalent grade in the new career structure as determined by the
Staff Regulations.

11.12.2003 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 300 A/3

The minimum qualifications and experience required are as follows:

(a) a university degree (preferably in law);

(b) a minimum of 12 years’ professional experience, corresponding to the category of the post and
which has been acquired, after the date of the abovementioned degree, by the closing date for the
submission of applications, at least five of which must have been spent in the field of intellectual
property and, in particular, in the area of trade marks;

(c) a thorough knowledge of one Community language and a satisfactory knowledge of a second
Community language. One of these languages must be one of the five languages of the Office,
namely, Spanish, German, English, French and Italian.

8. **OTHER QUALIFICATIONS**

Professional experience of working in a language other than the candidate’s mother tongue would be an
advantage.

Thorough knowledge of additional languages of the Office, in particular English or German, would be an
advantage.

9. **SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS**

For an application to be valid, candidates must write to the following address:

Chairman of the Administrative Board
Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market
(Trade Marks and Designs)
Avenida de Europa, 4
Apartado de Correos 77
E-03080 Alicante

by midnight on 7 January 2004 at the latest (the postmark will serve as proof of the date of dispatch),
enclosing the following documents:

(a) an application form, dated and signed. The form is available on the website of the Office: http://
oami.eu.int.

Please note, in particular, that all sections of the form must be completed. An incomplete application
form (for example one bearing remarks such as ‘see CV attached’) will not be taken into account;

(b) the relevant supporting documents relating to the basic requirements laid down and the minimum
qualifications and experience required:

1. copy of an identity document (such as passport or ID card);

2. copies of degree certificates;

3. copies of certificates relating to the professional experience mentioned in point 7.

Other documents, particularly curricula vitae, will not be taken into consideration. It is to be noted,
in particular, that any qualifications or professional experience not supported by documentary
evidence such as copies of degree certificates or diplomas or certificates of employment will be
disregarded and that this may result in the application being rejected.

C 300 A/4 EN Official Journal of the European Union 11.12.2003

Applications must be sent by registered post. The envelope and all correspondence should bear the
following reference: VEXT/03/509/A/BoA.

The envelope must be marked as follows: ‘Not to be opened by the mail service’.

10. **SELECTION PROCEDURE**

Selection will be conducted under the control of the Administrative Board.

Applications from candidates who do not fulfil all of the basic requirements or do not possess the
minimum qualifications and experience required will be rejected.

Candidates selected for interviews will be requested to provide evidence that they have not been convicted
or found guilty of any criminal offence.

11. **FURTHER INFORMATION**

Further information may be obtained from:

Juan Ramón Rubio
Director
Human Resources Department
Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market
(Trade Marks and Designs)
Office 1A-3/20-21
E-03080 Alicante
Tel. (34-96) 513 94 21
Fax (34-96) 513 99 52.