The Generalitat has announced a strategic shift in the Alicante region, where the Commercial Courts will be renamed the European Union Trademark Courts in 2022. This change aligns with the location of the European Union Intellectual Property Office in Alicante and reflects a broader plan to strengthen the handling of trademark matters at a European level.
Elisa Núñez, Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs, highlighted the significance of the project by noting that it will establish a dignified center for these courts. The reform aims to improve the efficiency and prestige of trademark resolution processes across Spain, contributing to a competitive national landscape for commercial law and intellectual property protection.
Núñez emphasized that as a commercial court with national reach and international scope, the Alicante court system should include a dedicated commercial court. This move is seen as a source of legal security, wealth, innovation, and prosperity for the broader community market and for European citizens alike, reinforcing the role of the courts in safeguarding commercial and IP rights.
According to the Ministry of Justice, the purchase of new facilities will centralize the three Commercial Courts in Alicante into a single building. The current arrangement spans two properties in the Benalúa district. The consolidated complex will be positioned near major court facilities at 43 Pardo Gimeno Street, with the new building located on the ground floor of the address 41 Calle Pardo Gimeno, improving accessibility and coordination for litigants and staff.
Community Trademark Courts
Under the reorganization, the Alicante Commercial Courts will possess nationwide first instance jurisdiction over commercial matters, while maintaining province-wide authority for certain commercial disputes. This codifies alignment with the European Union Trademark regulations and Community designs, ensuring consistent application of EU and national trademark law across cases presented within Alicante.
The European Union Trademark Courts will also hold exclusive jurisdiction over civil actions involving Union trademarks and related national or international marks. In instances where there is a relevant connection between actions, such as a case based on an EU trademark registration or application, the courts will coordinate to resolve disputes efficiently and coherently, reflecting the overarching framework for IP enforcement within the EU.
In this restructuring, the courts will serve as a central hub for trademark matters, providing a unified venue that supports both EU trademark cases and their intersections with broader intellectual property issues. The arrangement is designed to streamline proceedings, reduce fragmentation, and offer a stable legal environment that supports innovation and investor confidence within the European market, benefiting businesses and consumers across the region.