The creation of jobs tied to intellectual property protection, an uptick in women safeguarding their designs, and the use of artificial intelligence tools in the coming years are among the issues raised by the PSOE through its MEP Leire Pajín. She brought these topics to the attention of candidates for the roles of second executive director and president of the Remedies Chambers at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), the EU agency headquartered in Alicante responsible for trademarks and designs across the European Union. Pajín underscored the need for the EUIPO to deepen its ties with Alicante and to strengthen the bond between the agency and the political and cultural institutions of the Valencian Community.
During her dialogue with the three candidates for executive leadership at the continental office, Pajín emphasized how important intellectual property instruments can be for generating high-quality employment, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurs. She asked the contenders how they plan to improve the use of IP tools by small businesses and startups. The former minister also addressed the challenge posed by the development of artificial intelligence and the digital transition, inquiring about the training and legal instruments they would develop to protect intellectual property in the digital sphere.
Beyond these topics, Pajín focused on how the EUIPO would engage with society in Alicante. She highlighted that such agencies operate in different parts of Europe and exist to make European institutions better known to the public. She questioned the candidates about the outward relationships they would maintain with local institutions and with the broader society of Alicante and the Valencian Community. Following the Europarliamentary encounter, Pajín noted that it is crucial for Alicante residents to understand what the EUIPO does and for the euroagency to appear approachable to local institutions. She particularly praised Íñiguez’s proposal, which involves signing agreements with universities and other educational centers and opening up to the public with visits to EUIPO facilities so locals can see how it operates from within. In the selection process, the European Parliament interviews candidates and provides its endorsement, though it does not hold decisive authority in this matter.
The EUIPO has begun a process to fill the presidency of its Remedies Chambers, a position vacant since Portuguese executive João Negrão moved to lead the agency’s executive directorate last October. The search also aims to fill a newly created role of second executive director, a move Negrão introduced to bolster the institution’s structure, joining already existing duties carried out by Italian executive director Andrea Di Carlo. The selection has progressed to its final stage with the finalists appearing before the European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee, on which Pajín serves.