CP16 and CP17 have been published today 16.02.2026

CP 16 - SIGNS DESCRIBING THE SUBJECT MATTER OF GOODS AND/OR SERVICES

This Common Practice establishes a common understanding of the notion of subject matter, as well as general principles on how to perform the assessment of signs describing the subject matter of the goods and/or services for which protection is sought. It also provides a non-exhaustive list of examples illustrating signs that are considered descriptive of the subject matter of the goods and/or services, as well as examples of signs that are not. It serves as a reference for the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property, and Member States’ Intellectual Property Offices (MS IPOs) – collectively referred to as IPOs; as well as for User Associations (UAs); applicants and representatives.

The IPOI fully supports these initiatives and actively participated in the formulation of this new Common Practices, which can be found on our website here

View more here at this link to the EUIPN: CP16. Signs describing the subject matter of goods and/or services - EUIPN

CP 17 - THE DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER OF SLOGANS

This Common Practice establishes the concept of a slogan and a non-exhaustive list of factors for assessing
the distinctive character of slogans, as well as examples to illustrate the applicable criteria and different
outcomes. It serves as a reference for the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), the Benelux
Office for Intellectual Property, and Member States’ Intellectual Property Offices (MS IPOs) – collectively
referred to as IPOs; User Associations (UAs); applicants and representatives.

The IPOI fully supports these initiatives and actively participated in the formulation of this new Common Practices, which can be found on our website here.

View more here at this link to the EUIPN: CP17. The distinctive character of slogans - EUIPN