The Spanish business journal Cinco Días today interviewed the OHIM’s President Mr Wubbo de Boer. The interview, published today in Spanish, is entitled "It is absurd to have surplus at the OHIM", and is accessible here.

Among other things, Mr de Boer reports a general turnover of “about 200 million Euros” in year 2,007, while expenses are assessed at “in 138 million Euros”. The remaining benefit of 62 million Euro is considered by Mr de Boer as “excessive”. He adds that the OHIM’s accumulated profit (which he estimates in “300 million Euros”) does not revert in the European Commission’s budget but is kept “accumulated in different banks”. Mr de Boer states that the OHIM should consider returning fees to the users of the system, as the OHIM’s ultimate purpose is not “collecting fees”.

The OHIM President also mentions that the European Commission is studying the feasibility of decreasing the fees. However, he states that such a decision must be made after consultation with the 27 Member States, and “some of them fear that their national offices would feel the effect, should the OHIM be too competitive in economic terms”.

Finally, Mr de Boer mentions that OHIM’s presence in Alicante has only brought good results for the city. He expressly mentions that a number of IP practitioners have established themselves in the city, adding that the Spanish Community Trade Mark and Design Courts are placed in Alicante, and that the Alicante University offers a specialized post-degree course in IP issues (the Magister Lvcentinvs programme).