Officials attend the launch of the IP service station in Madrid, Spain. [Photo/WeChat account: Shanghai_IPA]

Shanghai launched a new IP service station in Madrid on July 7 to help Chinese businesses, especially those from Shanghai, better understand and comply with European IP policies and laws and resolve IP disputes in Europe more effectively.

The service station was jointly established by the Shanghai Commercial Mediation Center and King & Wood Mallesons (KWM) Spain, with guidance from the Shanghai Intellectual Property Administration (SIPA) and support from the Boards of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

Yu Chen, deputy director-general of SIPA, said at the launch ceremony that the Chinese government attaches great importance to IP work and supports Chinese enterprises in building their overseas IP service capacity.

He said that the service station will improve the overseas IP service station system for Shanghai enterprises and further promote cooperation between relevant institutions in China and Europe in IP dispute resolution.

Virginia Melgar, chairperson of the Fifth Board of Appeal of EUIPO, Théophile M. Margellos, professor of Alicante University and former president of the BoA of EUIPO, and Roberto Pomares, Managing Partner of KWM Spain, also attended the ceremony.