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Sorin Mierlea , President of InfoCons Consumer Protection , attends the 2026 EUIPO Observatory Plenary Meeting

Sorin Mierlea , President of InfoCons Consumer Protection , attends the 2026 EUIPO Observatory Plenary Meeting

On 15 September 2026, Sorin Mierlea, President of InfoCons Consumer Protection, attends the first day of the Plenary Meeting of the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights, part of the European Union Intellectual Property Office – EUIPO.

The meeting takes place on 15–16 September 2026 at EUIPO’s premises in Alicante, Spain, and it brings together representatives of European institutions, national authorities, the private sector, civil society and international organisations.

InfoCons is an active member of the EUIPO Observatory and is involved in its civil society activities. Its participation supports the representation of consumers’ interests in discussions on intellectual property, public awareness and the fight against counterfeiting and piracy.

At national level, InfoCons has been a member of the Working Group on Intellectual Property Issues, coordinated by the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice, since 2006.

The first day focuses on the Observatory’s activities in 2025–2026, youth awareness of intellectual property, implementation of the Digital Services Act, and copyright challenges in the digital environment and audiovisual sector.

Day 1 agenda – Tuesday, 15 September 2026

All times are local to Alicante, Spain.

09:30 | Connection for online participants and arrival at EUIPO

09:45–10:25 | Welcome and opening remarks

Opening remarks by:

  • João Negrão, Executive Director, EUIPO;
  • John Newham, Assistant Secretary, Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, representing the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union;
  • Axel Voss, Member of the European Parliament – online;
  • Kamil Kiljanski, Acting Director responsible for Intellectual Property, DG GROW, European Commission – online.

10:25–10:55 | Observatory – overview of activities carried out in 2025–2026

Patricia García-Escudero Márquez, Director of the Observatory, presents the main activities undertaken over the past year. Stakeholders are invited to contribute to the presentation.

10:55–11:30 | Your questions answered by the European Commission

Drawing on questions submitted by the network, this session addresses current and forthcoming European Commission policy initiatives and their connection to the Observatory’s work.

Speaker:

  • Mafalda Fortuna do Couto, Legal and Policy Officer, DG GROW, European Commission.

11:30–11:45 | Group photo and coffee break

11:45–12:45 | Empowering youth through awareness of intellectual property

This panel explores how to engage young people with the intellectual property lifecycle, covering creation, production, protection, commercialisation through licensing, and infringement. It also considers the communication channels and messages most likely to reach and engage younger audiences.

Moderator:

  • Helen Oliver Faulkner, Head of the Outreach and Network Service, Observatory Department, EUIPO.

Panellists:

  • Andrei Bonnici, representative of Team Unison from Malta, winner of the Online EUIPO Youth IP Awareness Award in the context of Gen-E, Junior Achievement Europe;
  • Karim Hallal Peche, DigitalEU Ambassador and content creator specialising in EU topics;
  • Roberta Intini, member of the winning team of “Challenge the Fake”, a European competition to design an innovative anti-counterfeiting awareness campaign reaching Generation Z;
  • Lāsma Stabinge, young music creator and participant in “CreateWise – Create. Care. Be Aware.”, a project implemented by EUIPO awareness grant beneficiary LaIPA, the Latvian Performers’ and Producers’ Association.

The session includes an open discussion with participants.

12:45–13:15 | Update on the implementation of the Digital Services Act

This session introduces the Contribution Agreement between EUIPO and the European Commission on DSA implementation, its activities and priorities for 2026 and 2027. It considers how the agreement can strengthen intellectual property enforcement in the digital environment.

Speakers:

  • Antoine Aubert, Copyright Knowledge Centre and Digital Service, Observatory Department, EUIPO;
  • Irene Roche Laguna, Head of Unit, DG CNECT, European Commission.

13:15–14:30 | Standing lunch

14:30–14:45 | New stakeholders’ presentations

Speakers:

  • Francesca Fabbri, Secretary General, Association of European Radios – AER;
  • Sebastià Portell, President, European Writers’ Council – EWC;
  • Emanuele Grassia, Policy Advisor, International Federation of Film Distributors’ and Publishers’ Association – FIAD;
  • Patrick Oliver, Executive Director, Intellectual Property 2 Innovate – IP2I;
  • Claudia Russo, Director, Public Affairs EU, International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers – STM.

14:45–15:45 | Copyright infrastructures in Europe

The panel introduces the findings of the study “Mapping of EU Databases and Metadata Standards Providing Information on Copyright-Protected Works”.

It also examines recent European Commission developments concerning copyright, generative artificial intelligence and cultural heritage. Contributions from DG CNECT and the CommonsDB consortium build on the consortium’s final conference held at EUIPO on 14 September.

Moderator:

  • Véronique Delforge, Copyright Knowledge Centre and Digital Service, Observatory Department, EUIPO.

Panellists:

  • Paul Keller, representative of the CommonsDB consortium and COMMUNIA – International Association on the Public Domain;
  • Rodolphe Wouters, Legal Officer, DG CNECT, European Commission.

The session includes an open discussion with participants.

15:45–16:30 | Copyright challenges in the audiovisual sector

The panel addresses copyright challenges in the audiovisual sector, particularly piracy trends and the protection of creative content.

According to the agenda, the session is complemented by a visit to Ciudad de la Luz studios, near the EUIPO campus, in the context of the filming of Disney’s live-action adaptation of “Tangled”.

Moderator:

  • Harrie Temmink, Deputy Director, Observatory Department, EUIPO.

Panellists:

  • Okke Delfos Visser, Senior Vice President, Head of Legal EMEA, Motion Picture Association – MPA;
  • Juliette Prissard, General Delegate, EUROCINEMA;
  • Oliver Pribramsky, Head of IP & Content Protection and Committees, Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance – AAPA.

The session includes an open discussion with participants.

16:30 | Closing remarks

  • Patricia García-Escudero Márquez, Director, Observatory Department, EUIPO.

Institutions and organisations represented at the plenary meeting

Presidency of the Council of the European Union

  • Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment – Ireland, representing the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU.

European Parliament

  • European Parliament.

European Commission

  • DG JUST – Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers;
  • DG GROW – Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs;
  • DG CNECT – Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology;
  • DG EAC – Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture;
  • DG TAXUD – Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union.

Public sector

  • Federal Public Service Economy – Belgium;
  • Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria – Bulgaria;
  • Ministry of the Interior / Bulgarian Police – Bulgaria;
  • General Directorate of Customs – Czech Republic;
  • Danish Patent and Trademark Office – Denmark;
  • German Patent and Trade Mark Office – Germany;
  • Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs – Estonia;
  • Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment – Ireland;
  • Hellenic Industrial Property Organisation – OBI, Greece;
  • Independent Authority for Market Surveillance and Consumer Protection – DIMEA, Greece;
  • Spanish Patent and Trademark Office – Spain;
  • Ministry of Culture – Spain;
  • Spanish National Police – Spain;
  • Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle / Comité National Anti-Contrefaçon – France;
  • State Intellectual Property Office – Croatia;
  • Italian Patent and Trademark Office – Italy;
  • Guardia di Finanza – Italy;
  • Customs & Excise Department – Cyprus;
  • Patent Office of the Republic of Latvia – Latvia;
  • Ministry of Culture – Lithuania;
  • Intellectual Property Office – Luxembourg;
  • Hungarian Intellectual Property Office – Hungary;
  • National Tax and Customs Administration – Hungary;
  • Malta Tax & Customs Administration – Malta;
  • Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy – Netherlands;
  • Federal Ministry of Finance – Austria;
  • Ministry of Culture and National Heritage – Poland;
  • Patent Office of the Republic of Poland – Poland;
  • Portuguese Institute of Industrial Property – Portugal;
  • The Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Romania – Romania;
  • Slovenian Intellectual Property Office – Slovenia;
  • Criminal Office of the Financial Administration – Slovakia;
  • Finnish Customs – Finland;
  • Ministry of Education and Culture – Finland;
  • Finnish Patent and Registration Office – Finland;
  • Swedish Intellectual Property Office – Sweden.

Private sector

  • AAPA – Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance;
  • ACG – Anti-Counterfeiting Group;
  • ACT – Association of Commercial Television and Video on Demand Services in Europe;
  • ACT – The Association for Competitive Technology;
  • AER – Association of European Radios;
  • AIM – European Brands Association;
  • ANDEMA – Asociación para la Defensa de la Marca;
  • APM – The German Anti-Counterfeiting Association;
  • BUSINESS EUROPE – Confederation of European Business;
  • CCIA Europe – Computer & Communications Industry Association;
  • CEPI – European Audiovisual Production;
  • CIOPORA – International Community of Breeders of Asexually Reproduced Ornamental and Fruit Varieties;
  • DOT Europe – Digital, Online and Tech in Europe;
  • EBU – European Broadcasting Union;
  • ECSA – European Composer and Songwriter Alliance;
  • ECTA – European Communities Trademark Association;
  • EMMA-ENPA – European Newspaper Publishers’ Association;
  • EPC – European Publishers Council;
  • EUROCOPYA – European Federation of Joint Management Societies of Producers for Private Audiovisual Copying;
  • EuroISPA – European Internet Services Providers Association;
  • EWC – European Writers’ Council;
  • FEP/FEE – Federation of European Publishers;
  • FERA – Federation of European Screen Directors;
  • FESI – Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry;
  • FIAD – The International Federation of Film Distributors’ and Publishers’ Association;
  • GACG – Global Anti-Counterfeiting Group;
  • GESAC – European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers;
  • ICC – International Chamber of Commerce;
  • ICMP – International Confederation of Music Publishers;
  • IFPI – International Federation of the Phonographic Industry;
  • IFRRO – International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisation;
  • IMPF – Independent Music Publishers International Forum;
  • INDICAM – Per la tutela della proprietà intellettuale;
  • INTA – International Trademark Association;
  • IP2I – IP2Innovate;
  • IVF – International Video Federation;
  • MARQUES – European Association of Trade Mark Owners;
  • MPA – Motion Picture Association;
  • ORGALIM – Europe’s Technology Industries;
  • REACT – The European Anti-Counterfeiting Network;
  • SAA – Society of Audiovisual Authors;
  • SACG – Swedish Anti-Counterfeiting Group;
  • SROC – Sports Rights Owners Coalition;
  • STM – The International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers;
  • TIC Council – Testing, Inspection and Certification Council;
  • UNIC – International Union of Cinemas;
  • UNIFAB – Union des Fabricants.

Civil society

  • ADICONSUM – Consumer Defense and Environment Association;
  • COMMUNIA – International Association on the Public Domain;
  • DECO – Portuguese Association for Consumer Protection;
  • EAASM/ASOP EU – European Alliance for Access to Safe Medicines / The Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacy in the EU;
  • InfoCons Association;
  • TaC – Together against Cybercrime International.

Observers

  • CEPOL – European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training;
  • EFTA – Iceland;
  • EFTA – Norway;
  • EFTA – Switzerland;
  • Europeana Foundation;
  • Europol – European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation;
  • OECD – Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development;
  • WCO – World Customs Organization.

Other organisations and entities

  • Bocconi University;
  • El Viejo Continente;
  • EUROCINEMA;
  • LaIPA – Latvian Performers’ and Producers’ Association;
  • PUMA;
  • Unison – Junior Achievement Europe.

EUIPO – executive management and departments represented

  • EUIPO Executive Management;
  • Observatory Department;
  • Academy Department;
  • Cooperation and Partnerships Department;
  • Corporate Strategy and Foresight Department;
  • Financial Management and Control Department;
  • Legal Affairs Department;
  • Workplace Solutions Department.

What is EUIPO?

The European Union Intellectual Property Office manages EU trade marks and registered EU designs. Through cooperation with national offices and institutional partners, it contributes to an accessible and consistent intellectual property system.

For consumers, respect for intellectual property is also relevant to recognising authentic products, accessing content from legitimate sources and understanding the risks associated with counterfeiting.

What is the EUIPO Observatory?

The European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights brings together authorities, professional organisations, civil society representatives and international partners. Its work includes research, awareness, education, practical tools and exchanges of expertise to help prevent and tackle intellectual property infringement.

The Observatory supports cooperation among stakeholders but does not itself exercise direct law enforcement powers.

EUIPO leadership represented in the meeting programme

The agenda includes João Negrão, Executive Director of EUIPO, and Andrea Di Carlo, Deputy Executive Director. The Observatory’s activities are presented by Patricia García-Escudero Márquez, Director of the Observatory Department.

Signature: InfoCons Consumer Protection in Intellectual Property Department

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