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‘Concentrated expertise on industrial property protection’

DPMA User Advisory Council

President of the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) welcomes newly appointed members of the DPMA User Advisory Council as the central advisory body of the DPMA: ‘Intellectual property is of utmost strategic importance for competitiveness and prosperity’ - Federation of German Industries, Startup Association and Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovations are new members - Advisory Council welcomes the Federal Government's intention to present a national IP strategy

Press release of 28 May 2025
Munich. With the constituent meeting at the German Patent and Trade Mark Office in Munich, the DPMA User Advisory Council (DPMAnutzerbeirat) has started its third term of office. The committee is made up of IP experts from the largest German trade associations as well as representatives of SMEs and other important intellectual property institutions. The Federation of German Industries (BDI) is a new member of the User Advisory Council. The DPMA is also emphasising the appointment of members of the Federal Association of German Startups and the Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovations SPRIND. In doing so, the federal authority is emphasising the central importance of technology-oriented start-ups in particular for a dynamic and future-oriented innovation ecosystem and is taking even greater account of their needs when it comes to protecting intellectual property.

‘Innovations and their protection are of the utmost strategic importance for the competitiveness of the German economy and the prosperity of our society. I am therefore pleased that we can bring together the concentrated expertise on intellectual property protection in the DPMAnutzerbeirat. This enables us to discuss specialist topics at the highest level and to shape the protection of innovations in the best possible way,‘ emphasises DPMA President Eva Schewior. ‘In recent years, the User Advisory Council has established itself as a central advisory body of the DPMA with its excellent work. We will continue to use its expertise to further develop our IP procedures and other services in the interests of our customers.‘

The following institutions are members of the DPMAnutzerbeirat:

  • Federation of German Industries (BDI e.V.)
  • VDMA e.V. - Europe's largest association of the mechanical and plant engineering industry
  • German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA e.V.)
  • German Electro and Digital Industry Association (ZVEI e.V.)
  • German Chemical Industry Association (VCI e.V.)
  • German Startup Association (Startup-Verband e.V.)
  • German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK)
  • Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation SPRIND (SPRIND GmbH)
  • Network of Patent Information Centres in Germany (PIZnet e.V.)
  • Chamber of Patent Attorneys
  • Patent Information User Group (PING e.V.)
  • TransferAllianz e.V.
  • Technical University of Munich
  • Ingolstadt University of Technology

At its constituent meeting, the DPMAnutzerbeirat unanimously welcomed, among other things, the plans of the new German government to present a national IP strategy. Intellectual property rights should be recognised as an essential economic factor in order to strengthen competitiveness, technological sovereignty and innovative strength.

The User Advisory Council

The members of the User Advisory Council are appointed by the management of the DPMA for a term of four years; a deputy may be appointed for each member. The committee should be composed of equal numbers of men and women. The meetings take place twice a year; special meetings and, in exceptional cases, online meetings are also possible. The scope of the committee's work is not subject to any rigid guidelines. The topics range from patent and utility model procedures, including application procedures, to electronic business transactions and patent and utility model information in relation to publication, registers, databases, web services, customer service and overarching topics in the field of industrial property protection.

The German Patent and Trade Mark Office

Inventiveness and creativity need effective protection. The DPMA is the German centre of expertise for all intellectual property rights - for patents, utility models, trade marks and registered designs. As the largest national patent office in Europe and the sixth largest national patent office in the world, it is committed to Germany’s future as a country of inventors in a globalised economy. Its almost 2,800 staff based at three locations - Munich, Jena and Berlin - are service providers for inventors and companies. They implement the innovation strategies of the Federal administration and develop national, European and international IP systems further.

Picture: DPMA

Last updated: 28 May 2025