Finnish experiences from the ECTA 44th annual conference in Dublin: Green light for growth
While most Finns were celebrating Midsummer by relaxing at their ’mökki’, a significant number of Finnish intellectual property (IP) lawyers gathered in Dublin, Ireland, to share insights and celebrate current developments in IP rights. The 44th ECTA conference featured three speakers from Finland: Dr Daniël Jongsma from the Hanken School of Economics spoke in the ’EU vs. US copyright’ session, discussing Member States’ case law development in relation to works of applied art (with a particular focus on the Birkenstock cases), as well as current generative AI issues. Päivi Tahkokallio from Tahkokallio Design and Dr Heidi Härkönen from the University of Turku (the author of this article) spoke in the ’AI Impact in the Design Field’ session, discussing the effect of AI on design processes (Tahkokallio) and the possibility of protecting AI-generated designs under EU design law (Härkönen).
For me, the conference exceeded all expectations. It was full of thought-provoking presentations by leading IP lawyers, unforgettable excursions and friendly people, not to mention the vibrant ’ECTA spirit’. I am not alone in this experience, as this article sees Marjut Alhonnoro, Hannu Halmetoja, Peppina Iivonen, Daniël Jongsma, Katri Kiviniemi, Kaisu Korpua, Max Oker-Blom and Riikka Palmos reflect on their experiences at ECTA. If you weren’t there, read on and you’ll certainly want to come next time! If you were there, it will take you back to your fond memories of ECTA.
Katri Kiviniemi from Castrén & Snellman is a longstanding ECTA member and active over ten years in the ECTA Design Committee, of which the last four years she has served as the Chair. For her, the 44th ECTA Annual Conference in Dublin is one of the many ones that she will never forget, as now she stepped down from the leadership team of the committee. Kiviniemi is very proud of this committee, as its previous and current members are truly dedicated to working for ECTA even if they are top IP professionals with a lot of other obligations in their lives. ‘We have achieved amazing things, when looking back to our work with the EU Design law reform and more recently our joint efforts with the EUIPO and BEDA in raising awareness of the design rights in the European Union and beyond. However, there is no person more important than our common mission to which I have now contributed and which will also continue without me.’ Kiviniemi explains. She will now take a well-deserved break from the ECTA committee work, but is really looking forward to ECTA Annual Conference in Sorrento, Italy in 2027.
For Kaisu Korpua, Roschier, the EU case law presentation is always one of the highlights of the conference, and this year was not an exception. Korpua was impressed by the way the cases were presented and provided plenty of food for thought. ‘In addition, in some of the sessions—especially the one addressing the “dupe” phenomenon—it was particularly interesting to hear that many of us are facing similar challenges, often without clear or straightforward solutions.’, she continues. When it comes to Korpua’s favourite panel, she notes that she may be ‘slightly biased’, but her personal favorite was the panel discussion on the Impact of AI in the Design Field. She thought that the panel was exceptionally well prepared and offered a balanced and thoughtful exploration of the topic, presenting a range of perspectives on what is undeniably a complex and evolving issue. The host city Dublin was also a memorable experience for her. ‘The host city always plays a significant role in shaping the atmosphere and overall spirit of the conference—even if there is typically very little time for sightseeing. This year, the local Dublin organising team did an excellent job curating the evening programme. We had the opportunity to enjoy traditional Irish dance and music performances and to experience Guinness at its very origins. Beyond that, the warmth and friendliness of the Irish people made the conference particularly memorable’, Kaisu Korpua says. One can only agree with her!
Riikka Palmos from Papula-Nevinpat found especially fascinating the discussion around “dupes”. The discussion highlighted quite clearly that traditional enforcement tools are not always effective in this space, especially when consumer behaviour, social media and influencer culture play such a central role. This led her to a slightly more “out-of-the-box” thought: ‘instead of only fighting against the phenomenon, could brand owners also engage with it more strategically? For example, by working with their own influencers to strengthen their voice, emphasise authenticity, and ensure their products remain part of the conversation in a more proactive way. I strongly believe that our field benefits from creativity and from exploring new approaches alongside traditional legal tools – and this was a great reminder of that’, Palmos sums her thoughts. She also gives a slightly more practical (and very Nordic!) note: ‘as a newly appointed ECTA Supervisory Board Member representing Finland, I promise to gently lobby for scheduling the conference either just before or just after Midsummer – which might just encourage even more colleagues from Finland and the Nordic countries to join this fantastic event!’. I am sure that many of us Finnish lawyers wish her success in reaching this goal!
Dr. Max Oker-Blom from Hanken School of Economics is a past president and secretary general of ECTA. In this position, he is pleased to note that the high standard of the professional programme is maintained, continuing and even increasing. The social programme was also rewarding for him, and he considers that it is always stimulating to meet with IPR lawyers from all over Europe, Latin America as well as Asia. However, Oker-Blom considers this year’s ECTA conference to be truly special:
‘There were namely two lecturers from Finland, Heidi Härkönen and Daniël Jongsma. Heidi participated in the panel ”AI Impact in the Design Field” with an excellent analysis on why AI generated design might be closer to be accepted than AI generation within the field of copyright. Daniël again was part of the panel ”EUIPO Knowledge Centre and a comparison between EU and US Copyright Systems”. He gave a very good picture of the EU copyright system and explained very well why AI generation is further away from acceptance in the copyright field, at least for now, due to human input being considered crucial.’
Oker-Blom furthermore notes that it was particularly rewarding to note that there is an increasing interest in ECTA from a Finnish point of view.
As a legal scholar, Daniël Jongsma usually attends academic conferences. ECTA was therefore a refreshing experience for him. ‘The highlight of the conference for me was all the intriguing discussions with practising lawyers during coffee breaks and dinners. I really enjoyed exchanging thoughts with experienced IP practitioners, and the discussions have given me inspiration for my future work.’ Jongsma also enjoyed the Saturday excursion to the beautiful Irish countryside.
For Peppina Iivonen, Papula-Nevinpat, this was the first ECTA conference. She learnt a lot of the association and its activities in general. ‘Also, the mock mediation case provided valuable insight into the EUIPO’s mediation proceedings. It demonstrated how mediation can be an effective tool for resolving trademark disputes when parallel proceedings are taking place before both the EUIPO and national courts. Beyond the substantive learning, it was also interesting to see the practical dynamics of mediation and the role it can play in finding commercially viable solutions’, Iivonen explains. While the entire programme was very interesting for Iivonen, her favourite session was the panel on the impact of AI on the design field. ‘I was delighted to see two Finnish panelists, Heidi Härkönen (who obviously does not need introduction here) and Päivi Tahkokallio, Founder and CEO of Tahkokallio Design. Listening to these inspiring women share their insights on the topic was truly engaging and particularly memorable for me’, Iivonen explains.
For Marjut Alhonnoro, Roschier, ECTA offered many excellent discussions, which makes it difficult for her to single out just one favorite. In her opinion, the case law update stood out with its engaging take on topical issues and prompted interesting discussion among the audience. She also particularly enjoyed the above-mentioned comparative EU–US perspective in the copyright session (where Daniël Jonsgma spoke), and she also thought that it was great to see a strong Finnish presence on stage in the insightful discussions on AI’s impact on design. ‘The evening reception at the Guinness Storehouse was a fascinating local experience, showcasing the Guinness brand in an inspiring way. Above all, however, the most memorable moments at ECTA were the wonderful encounters with colleagues from around the world’, Alhonnoro concludes.
Hannu Halmetoja, Berggren, has participated in the ECTA conferences already for decades. For him, this year’s ECTA conference in Dublin was truly rewarding in its entirety. From the official programme, the committee meetings (notably the Harmonization Committee and the WIPO-Link Committee) set a collaborative tone, and the general sessions were excellent. His highlights included the EU Case Law Update, the discussion on the role of design and the impact of AI in the design field, and the comparative take on EU vs. US copyright. ‘These sessions had great energy and open exchange across panelists and attendees. There were actionable takeaways on enforcement trends and strategies to consider’, he notes. Halmetoja was impressed by the overall programme quality and diverse timely topics — from generative AI and trade mark use to design protection. The combination of substantive panels and warm networking made the conference especially memorable for him: ‘an impressive blend of academic insight and outside attorney and in‑house perspectives’, he considers. He also appreciated the social programme, which was very well planned and took place in inspiring locations. For Halmetoja, it is always refreshing to meet colleagues from all over Europe, Latin and North America as well as Asia, and it is delightful that ECTA seems to increase its popularity.
Concluding remarks
Based on the above reflections, the three favourite panels of Finnish IP lawyers at the conference were the comparative EU vs. US copyright panel, the EU Case Law Update panel, and the panel on the impact of AI on the design field. Additionally, everyone seemed to value the social aspect of ECTA. I attended all of those myself, and I can understand why that is (although I am obviously biased to say this). In any case, I am delighted by the positive feedback I received for my contribution to the AI and Design Law panel. It has given me the energy to continue my research in this field, and I hope to share my further research results with IP practicioners in the future as well.
Before concluding, I must mention the inspiring conversations I had with a couple of Finnish IP practicioners during coffee breaks: how could we make micro enterprices and small and medium sized companies use the full potential of their intangible assets? This is an issue especially in the fashion and design sectors, where companies and individuals might not even know about their rights nor about the possibilities to use them. It would be important to share information about IP to creative sectors. (I am sure that IPR University Center has a lot of potential to act as a bridge between IP experts and creative industries, and there are plenty of exciting seminars and other events coming up.)
Clearly, the 44th ECTA conference was an exceptional experience. Although I attend quite a lot of conferences, I don’t usually write articles about them for IPRinfo. However, there was something so special about the ECTA experience that I felt compelled to share it with a wider audience. I was not expecting to attend a conference full of villains, but still, I was deeply moved by the kindness of the ECTA community and the event’s positive atmosphere.
