FICPI is a non-government organisation of IP attorneys in private practice with over 5,000 members in more than 80 countries and regions.

 

FICPI is different. Not only are they interested in the improvement of the laws and treaties that are the foundation of the IP system, but by virtue of their exclusive membership, FICPI is also the only professional body that truly represents independent IP attorneys at the international level. FICPI ensures that the views of the profession are heard and supports a network of highly skilled and experienced professionals of good standing that clients and the IP system require.

 

FICPI meets regularly with the heads and senior officers of the patent and trade mark offices in Europe, Japan, China, India, Korea and the U.S.A., as well as the European Commission, WIPO, WTO and OHIM, with plans to extend these regular meetings to other IP offices.

 

FICPI believes it is essential for the worldwide IP profession to maintain regular contacts with the most important national, regional and international IP authorities to ensure that proposals to amend IP laws are practical and are made in the interest of all users. FICPI has a good relationship with WIPO and was the only international organisation invited by the EPO President to attend a workshop on the future fee structure at the EPO and one of only two NGOs to be invited to the Annual Meeting of the Trilateral Partners (JPO, USPTO and OHIM) in Tokyo.

 

The following summary of FICPI's aims, adopted by its Executive Committee in Hong Kong 1997, says it all:

 

• To enhance international cooperation within the profession of IP attorneys in private practice, promote the exchange of information and harmonise and facilitate business relations between members.
• To maintain the dignity of its members and the standards of the profession of IP attorneys in private practice on an international scale.
• To express opinion with regard to newly proposed international and national legislation, in so far as it is of general concern to the profession and to defend the interests of its members, in particular with respect to the maintenance and invigoration of the system of IP protection and of the position of IP attorneys in private practice.
• To promote training and continuing education of its members and others interested in IP protection by organising local and regional ad hoc programmes.

 

Whatever the future developments in the law making process and in the profession itself, with these commitments FICPI will continue to play an important role for the benefit of its members in particular and bring value to IP in a wider sense.