Back stronger by design

The DesignEuropa Awards in Eindhoven made a strong and often emotional comeback during Dutch Design Week.

After having to be delayed for a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic it was a leap of faith on the part of the team when we decided to go ahead with the Awards in the design capital of the Netherlands.

The Italian lighting system Relio2, which replicates sunlight, won the Small and Emerging Companies Award; the Philips IntelliVue X3, portable health monitor won the Industry Award; and a well-deserved Lifetime Achievement Award went to André Ricard, who designed, among other things, the 1992 Barcelona Olympics torch.

However, all the participants were ‘winners’ as DesignEuropa puts the spotlight on the designs, and the designers, who shape our world and make it a better and brighter place.

I would like to thank the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, as well as the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property, for their commitment to making this year’s ceremony, and Dutch Design Week, happen in these very special times.

For the EUIPO team and, most probably, many of the participants, it seemed a bit strange as well as quite exhilarating to be mixing again on the international stage – albeit still following the recommended precautions.

As I said at the ceremony, we have all had to put many things on hold during the past eighteen months with the lockdowns, the border closures, and the isolation from friends, families, and loved ones.

While we have continued to work hard, sometimes out of sight,?DesignEuropa was a very public demonstration that IP rights are not taking a back seat in the recovery.

Overall, an outstanding event – enlightening, joyful and always inspirational.?