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Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP]
UNION-IP is a Brussels-based international non-profit association, founded in 1961, that unites European IP practitioners across private practice, industry, and academia through membership, technical commissions, and events, while engaging WIPO, EPO, EUIPO, and the European Commission on IP policy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1961
- HeadquartersBrussels, Belgium
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] does
Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property (UNION-IP) is a Brussels-headquartered International Non-Profit Association (AISBL) founded in 1961 by twenty-two patent attorneys from nine European countries. The organization functions as a private, independent professional association serving European intellectual property practitioners across private practice, industry, and academia, with national groups established in countries holding more than five members. It provides a unified forum for discussing and influencing draft IP laws and international agreements, maintaining observer and consultative relationships with WIPO, the European Commission, the European Patent Office (EPO), and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
UNION-IP's core offerings include membership access, seven technical working commissions (Copyright, Designs, IP Litigation, Life Science, Patents, Software, and Trade Marks), recurring events (annual Congresses, biannual ExCo meetings, and topical Round Tables), and curated information sharing around the Unified Patent Court and the new Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre (PMAC). Its operational technology stack is modest: a public website (union-ip.org), a Webling-based members portal (unionip.webling.eu), and a dedicated event registration platform (union-ip.events). The organization has 6 employees and is governed by an elected Bureau and Executive Committee, with Monia Baccarelli elected as its first female President at the 2026 Amsterdam Congress.
The association's business model is membership-fee-based, with regular members paying €130 annually and trainee members €50 annually, supplemented by national group fees capped at 50% of the UNION-IP fee. Go-to-market is community-led: prospective members must be sponsored by two existing referees and gain immediate member-rate event access upon application, before formal ExCo admission. Revenue is essentially event and dues-driven with no disclosed figures, no funding rounds, no M&A activity, and no external investors, consistent with its AISBL structure.
Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP]
- Legal name
- UNION OF EUROPEAN PRACTITIONERS IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, AISBL
- Website
- https://union-ip.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1961
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- UNION-IP is a Brussels-based international non-profit association, founded in 1961, that unites European IP practitioners across private practice, industry, and academia through membership, technical commissions, and events, while engaging WIPO, EPO, EUIPO, and the European Commission on IP policy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Association Services
- NAICS
- Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- IP Litigation & Dispute Resolution (BPAHAMAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Standards-Essential Patents (SEP) & FRAND Advisory (BPAHAMAL), IP Due Diligence & Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) Analysis (BPAHAMAG)
Keywords
Where Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brussels
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: UNION-IP generates revenue through annual membership fees. Regular members pay €130 per year and trainee members pay €50 per year. National groups may collect additional fees not exceeding 50% of the UNION-IP membership fee. Members gain immediate access to member rates for event participation upon application, before official admission.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Regular Member - Annual subscription for IP professionals |
| Subscription | Annual | Trainee Member - Reduced rate for professionals in training |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UNION-IP is an international non-profit association (AISBL) that provides a pan-European forum for intellectual property practitioners. Its core offering is membership access (€130/year regular, €50/year trainee) bundled with participation in annual Congresses, technical Round Tables, biannual ExCo meetings, and seven specialized Working Commissions covering Copyright, Designs, IP Litigation, Life Science, Patents, Software, and Trade Marks. The association enables members to influence IP law and international agreements through submissions to WIPO, the European Commission, EPO, and EUIPO.
Product overview
UNION-IP offers a unified association platform for European IP professionals, comprising membership access, recurring events (Congresses, Round Tables, ExCo Meetings), and seven technical Working Commissions covering Copyright, Designs, IP Litigation, Life Science, Patents, Software, and Trade Marks. The association also promotes the Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre (PMAC) of the Unified Patent Court for alternative dispute resolution. Members gain access to professional exchange, networking, and the ability to influence IP law developments in Europe through commissions and submissions to IP organizations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- UNION-IP Membership Annual membership in the association of European IP professionals, providing access to events, member rates for participation, ability to join commissions, and professional network connections across private practice, industry, and academia.
- UNION-IP Congress Major annual event featuring top IP speakers, technical program with plenary sessions and workshops, General Assembly, and social activities. Open to all interested parties with member and non-member rates.
- UNION-IP Round Tables Technical workshops and sessions organized by commissions covering specific IP topics such as Winter Round Table (Patents), Autumn Round Table (Trademarks & Designs), Paris Round Table, and German Group Round Table.
Companies that use Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP]
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Unified Patent Court (UPC) / Patent Mediation and Arbitration Center (PMAC)coreUNION-IP shares information about UPC and PMAC developments with members. PMAC formally approved procedural rules on 24 April 2026 and opened on 12 May 2026. UNION-IP published vacancy notices for PMAC's list of Mediators, Arbitrators and Experts.
- German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA)coreUNION-IP cooperates with DPMA for the annual Winter Roundtable event. The 2026 Winter Round Table was held at the DPMAforum in Munich, focusing on patent proceedings before the EPO, UPC, and national patent offices.
- FPS Economy / Belgian Office for Intellectual PropertyminorUNION-IP held a UPC Seminar at the FPS Economy / department Belgian Office for Intellectual Property in Brussels, including a guided visit to the UPC Brussels Local Division.
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)coreUNION-IP maintains close contacts with WIPO (The World Industrial Property Organization) and participates regularly as a non-governmental organization with observer status at international conferences. The organization is invited to consultations and discussions with WIPO.
- European CommissioncoreUNION-IP maintains close contacts with the Commission of the European Union and is invited to their consultations and discussions on intellectual property matters affecting European practitioners.
- European Patent Office (EPO)coreUNION-IP promotes direct dialogue between users of the patent system and official providers such as the EPO. The organization participates in SACEPO activities and prepares comments to requests by official bodies including the EPO.
- European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO)coreUNION-IP maintains relations with EUIPO, including participation in User Group Meetings and working groups. The organization provides expert input on trademark and design matters.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AIPPI (Association Internationale pour la Protection de la Propriété Intellectuelle): The leading global association of IP professionals with national and regional groups, congresses, and standing committees. Most directly comparable to UNION-IP in mission (bringing IP practitioners together to influence law) but operates globally and at much larger scale.
- ECTA (European Communities Trademark Association): European association for trade mark and design professionals. Directly comparable target membership and similar focus on EUIPO engagement, annual conferences, and committee work.
- FICPI (Fédération Internationale des Conseils en Propriété Intellectuelle): International federation of IP attorneys with national associations across continents. Closely comparable in serving private-practice IP attorneys and engaging with WIPO/EPO; runs its own congresses and technical commissions like UNION-IP.
- epi (Institute of Professional Representatives before the EPO): European-anchored institute representing patent attorneys before the EPO. Overlaps directly with UNION-IP's Patents and IP Litigation commissions and competes for the same European patent-attorney member base.
Emerging players
- IP Federation (UK): UK trade association representing IP-intensive companies. Comparable in bringing together IP professionals and submitting policy positions, but represents industry (in-house) rather than private practice attorneys.
- LESI (Licensing Executives Society International): Global society of licensing professionals with national chapters, conferences and committees. Comparable operating model (volunteer-led, member-driven, policy-relevant) with a different technical specialism (licensing/technology transfer).
Regional players
- CNCPI (Compagnie Nationale des Conseils en Propriété Industrielle, France): French national body of IP attorneys. Comparable membership-services and event model but France-only; alongside other national groups it shapes the same European IP practitioner ecosystem that UNION-IP aggregates.
- AIPLA (American Intellectual Property Law Association): US-based IP bar association running committees, conferences and amicus work. Comparable operating model and member mission but primarily serves US practitioners rather than competing head-on in Europe.
Broad incumbents
- MARQUES (Association of European Trade Mark Owners): European association focused on brands and trade marks, with study groups and annual conferences. Comparable in Europe-only scope and member-event structure; overlaps with UNION-IP's Trade Marks and Designs commissions.
- INTA (International Trademark Association): Global trademark-focused association with committees, round tables and submissions to WIPO/EUIPO. Comparable in operating professional events and policy submissions relevant to UNION-IP's Trade Marks and Designs commissions, but with a much broader portfolio.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] social profiles
Digital presenceUnion of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP]
What does Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] do?
UNION-IP is an international non-profit association (AISBL) that provides a pan-European forum for intellectual property practitioners. Its core offering is membership access (€130/year regular, €50/year trainee) bundled with participation in annual Congresses, technical Round Tables, biannual ExCo meetings, and seven specialized Working Commissions covering Copyright, Designs, IP Litigation, Life Science, Patents, Software, and Trade Marks. The association enables members to influence IP law and international agreements through submissions to WIPO, the European Commission, EPO, and EUIPO.
Is Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] a public or private company?
Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] founded?
Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] was founded in 1961. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] based?
Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership Dues.
Who are Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP]'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AIPPI (Association Internationale pour la Protection de la Propriété Intellectuelle), ECTA (European Communities Trademark Association), FICPI (Fédération Internationale des Conseils en Propriété Intellectuelle) and epi (Institute of Professional Representatives before the EPO). Emerging players are IP Federation (UK) and LESI (Licensing Executives Society International). Regional players are CNCPI (Compagnie Nationale des Conseils en Propriété Industrielle, France) and AIPLA (American Intellectual Property Law Association). Broad incumbents are MARQUES (Association of European Trade Mark Owners) and INTA (International Trademark Association).
Does Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] have an API?
No public API is recorded for Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP].
What industry is Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP] in?
Union of European Practitioners in Intellectual Property [UNION-IP]'s product category is Professional Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAMAE, IP Litigation & Dispute Resolution, with a secondary code of BPAHAMAL, Standards-Essential Patents (SEP) & FRAND Advisory. Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 8600.