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Spanish footwear industry launches Intellectual Property Observatory

May 27, 2026 Spain

The Spanish footwear industry is launching the Footwear Intellectual Property Observatory (OPIC) to improve the protection of its designs against potential infringements and counterfeiting

The OPIC was launched under the umbrella of the FICIA Foundation, in collaboration with the Spanish Footwear Industry Federation (FICE), the Valencian Association of Footwear Entrepreneurs (AVECAL), and the Intellectual Property Committee of the Elche Bar Association (ICAE). The OPIC aims to protect the distinctive value of Spanish footwear based on design, quality, and innovation, and to promote a more coordinated response to copies and counterfeits.

The initiative has emerged in a context where agility and specialisation are essential to safeguarding the competitiveness of businesses, according to a statement by FICE.

In this regard, the sector has welcomed recent legal measures, such as Order No. 202/2026, which was issued by the European Union Trade Mark and Design Court in Alicante. This ruling allowed for the immediate seizure of over 2,000 pairs of allegedly infringing footwear, representing a significant stride towards more rapid and effective action against counterfeiting.

The Observatory’s activities will be framed by Alicante’s intellectual and industrial property ecosystem, which is supported by institutions such as the EUIPO, the European Union Trade Mark and Design Court, the Alicante Chamber of Commerce, and the Magister Lvcentinvs programme at the University of Alicante.

OPIC’s objectives are therefore to strengthen cooperation among key stakeholders and to promote studies, reports and best practices to help companies, particularly SMEs, protect their trademarks, designs and other intangible assets.

As part of its initial activities, the Observatory has developed an infographic outlining a design protection protocol to enable companies to respond more quickly to potential infringements. It has also organised a workshop with judges from the European Union Trade Mark and Design Court in Alicante, which allowed footwear companies to learn more about the legal tools available to protect their intellectual property rights.

Image Credits: fotoshoemagazine.com

Spain Footwear Legal Organisations