Christian Archambeau was as “surprised as anyone” when he failed to win a second term as EUIPO executive director last November, he told Managing IP in an exclusive interview today, April 26.
In the interview, which will be published in full tomorrow, Archambeau said he had still not been given any explanation for the decision.
And despite the management board’s decision to suspend some of his powers on March 6, Archambeau said there was still plenty of work to do before his term finishes at the end of September.
That decision “made a lot of noise”, said Archambeau, but he stressed he still had a working relationship with Jorma Hanski, chair of the board.
Archambeau also downplayed the financial impact on member states after an unexpected dip in EU trademark filings last year.
Under EU rules, the EUIPO can’t deliver so-called offsetting payments to member states in 2024 because of lower-than-expected filing numbers last year.
But, according to Archambeau, the lost income for national offices was “not dramatic”.
“The idea that national offices have been hurt financially is a bit of a fiction,” he said.
Archambeau also addressed the European Commission’s plans for an overhaul of the standard essential patent system and the role the EUIPO will play.
The commission will publish its proposal tomorrow morning.
