UNION-IP 65 YEARS - Crossing legal and technical borders

In 1961, twenty-two visionary national patent attorneys founded an association. These practitioners came from nine different European countries and shared the ambition of strengthening cooperation within our profession.


Over the years, the scope and reach of the association have both expanded, leading to its current name:

‘Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property’ (UNION-IP).

UNION-IP organises several roundtable conferences on current topics throughout each year, as well as a special, even bigger congress every three years. This year’s event will take place in Amsterdam, the hometown of our current President Reinier Wijnstra.

The Congress’s brochure provides an overview of both the scientific and social programmes.
More than 100 international participants from across Europe are expected to attend, and we would be thrilled if you were one of them.

The congress will take place at the conference centre of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Amsterdam, which will be exclusively reserved for our event. Rooms at this hotel and one other have been blocked at a favourable rate for guests from abroad.

Our programme includes:

  • Wednesday, 10 June: Welcome reception at the congress hotel, followed by a welcome dinner at Capital C (the former Amsterdam Diamond Exchange)
  • Thursday, 11 June: Keynote speeches by, among others, João Negrão (Executive Director, EUIPO) and Steven Rowan (Vice-President for the Patent Granting Process, EPO), as well as two plenary sessions and two parallel workshops
  • Friday, 12 June: Two parallel workshops and one plenary session
  • Friday evening, 12 June: A festive gala evening at Breakers Beach House (Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin, Noordwijk)

A social programme for accompanying persons is available throughout the event.

On Saturday, 13 June, an excursion will be organised for all participants and their accompanying persons.

Further details can be found at www.union-ip.events, where updates will be posted as necessary.

Looking forward to meeting you in Amsterdam!