Introduction

The European Platform of Intellectual Property Administrators (EPIPA) was officially founded on 16 January 2017 by the Danish Association of Intellectual Property Administrators (DAIPA), the Norwegian Association of Intellectual Property Administrators (NAIPA) and the Dutch Association Platform Formalities Officers.

In November 2019, the Finnish Association of Intellectual Property Administrators (FAIPA) joined EPIPA as associate member, and in January 2020, we were delighted to welcome the UK CIPA IP Paralegals Committee (CIPA) as full member of EPIPA.

In January 2021 the Belgium Association for Intellectual Property Administrators (BELAIPA) joined EPIPA as associate member.

In spring 2021, the Finnish Association (FAIPA) has announced its intention to upgrade to full membership, and in December 2021 the Finnish Association became the 5^th full member of EPIPA.

Altogether, EPIPA now represents over 1500 IP Administrators, and we are hopeful and confident that more national organizations will be joining the European Platform in the future. We are aware of and support ongoing activities in other countries where new national sister associations are being founded to be able to join the EPIPA family.

A European Platform is of added value to the IP Administrators and gives more power to make things happen.

One of the main objectives of the European Platform is to raise awareness and promote recognition of the profession “Intellectual Property Administrators” and to be a sparring-partner for international authorities.