July 06, 2017 About the EUIPO

SQAP takes place in EUIPO

EUIPO is pleased to welcome on 6-7 July the external audit on the quality of opposition decisions. In the form of Stakeholder Quality Assurance Panels (SQAP), this is the second of a series of three audits planned for 2017.

EUIPO is pleased to welcome on 6-7 July the external audit on the quality of opposition decisions. In the form of Stakeholder Quality Assurance Panels (SQAP), this is the second of a series of three audits planned for 2017.
During two days, 13 auditors representing 7 User Associations check EUIPO opposition decisions to assess their quality in accordance with the Office quality criteria. The checks are conducted following the same quality criteria used during the internal process of ex-post quality checks.

The audits represent an opportunity for fostering the dialogue of the Office experts and its users.

The auditors representing the following User Associations involved in the second SQAP are:

  • Tamás Kocsis (ECTA)
  • Benjamin Fontaine (ECTA)
  • Steve Felix (APRAM)
  • Julien Delucenay (APRAM)
  • Roberto Kunz-Hallstein (GRUR)
  • Paola Ruggiero (INTA)
  • Tobias Dolde (ECTA)
  • Jana Bogatz (INTA)
  • Cristina Bercial-Chaumier (INTA)
  • Roland Mallinson (MARQUES)
  • Minna Aalto-Setälä (International Chamber of Commerce)
  • Lucy Cundliffe (CITMA)
  • Mark Hiddleston (CITMA)

The EUIPO 2020 Strategic Plan (SP2020) sets the goal of enhancing customer-driven quality services by being user oriented and focusing on the quality of EUIPO’s products and services.
SQAP is a strategic EUIPO project, part of the SP2020. In this context, the objective of SQAP is to involve stakeholders in the Office’s quality processes.

A first audit took place in on 4-5 April during which 12 auditors representing 9 User Associations and an International Chamber of Commerce checked EUIPO opposition decisions.

EUIPO would like to thank the representatives of User Associations for taking part in this valuable exercise.

If you wish to participate in SQAP we encourage you to contact your user association. The next SQAP is planned for quarter 3 of 2017.