• Torres Quevedo Year at the SPTO
• ADR: Alternative Methods for resolving IP controversies
• State of progress in IP during the first half of 2016
• Improved worldwide access to documents on Spanish Patents
• Signature of the CEVIPYME agreement for cooperation

Signature of the CEVIPYME agreement for cooperation

The Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (SPTO), the General Department for Industry and Small and Medium Enterprises (DGIPYME) of the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism (MINETUR) and, for the first time, the Spanish Chamber of Commerce have signed an agreement for collaboration to facilitate, promote and maintain knowledge and use of Industrial Property rights among Spanish small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through the Centre for Support to SMEs for the Management of Industrial and Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation (Centro de Apoyo a la PYME en materia de gestión de derechos de Propiedad Industrial, Intelectual e Innovación (CEVIPYME), created in 2009.

The objective is to provide, free of charge, information and personalised assistance to SMEs, SME associations and representative business organisations on the best way to protect Industrial and Intellectual Property and Innovation and manage it once the rights have been obtained and registered. Information will also be provided on how to obtain financial or other assistance and on how to implement a business idea.

Requests for services can be filed on www.cevipyme.es. The website will also announce events to be held during 2016 to bring Industrial Property closer to SMEs on a local level. Such activities will receive economic support from the European Social Fund.