OHIM makes surprise announcement over mediation

The Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (OHIM) has introduced a mediation service as an alternative to appealing to the Boards of Appeal in trademark and design cases. The service is offered by a team of specially trained mediators drawn from OHIM’s staff. The statement announcing the launch indicated that “mediation is a new departure for OHIM and one that is being offered following interest expressed by users”. Speaking after the launch, MARQUES representative Tove Graulund said that the announcement took the organisation by surprise.