Compagnie nationale des conseils en propriété industrielle

The Compagnie nationale des conseils en propriété industrielle (CNCPI) is the official French professional organisation that groups together and represents all conseils en propriété industrielle (CPI), the practitioners who advise and represent clients before the Institut national de la propriété industrielle (INPI) in matters concerning patents and trademarks. The profession itself is liberal, independent and regulated, in the same way as lawyers and chartered accountants, and the use of the title of conseil en propriété industrielle is likewise regulated. In its role as a professional order, the CNCPI is the guarantor of the independence and probity of the profession, both towards the public authorities and towards its members and the public. The CNCPI succeeded the Compagnie nationale des conseils en brevets following the deep reform of the patent-agent profession brought about by Law No. 90-1052 of 26 November 1990, which created the profession of conseil en propriété industrielle. Its rules of operation, and the conditions and procedures for entering and practising the profession, are set out in Book IV of the legislative part of the French Intellectual Property Code, in Articles R 422-8 to R 423-2 of the same code, and in the CNCPI's own internal rules (arrêté of 8 March 2025, published in the Journal officiel of 12 March 2025). The CNCPI's missions are to represent conseils en propriété industrielle before the public authorities, to promote access to their services throughout France, to defend their professional interests, to ensure compliance with the obligation of continuing professional training, and to ensure respect for the rules of professional ethics (Article L422-9 of the code). It also takes part in promoting the use of industrial property rights in innovation processes. It represents the profession before national bodies such as the executive and parliament, the INPI, chambers of commerce and professional organisations; before European bodies such as the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), the European Patent Office (EPO), the European Commission and the European Parliament; and before international bodies such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It is also a member of ANIPA (Association of National Institutes of Intellectual Property Attorneys) and of the GNIPA (Global Network of National IP Practitioner Associations). Beyond representation, the CNCPI works to protect the public and defend the title. It monitors compliance with Article L422-1 of the Intellectual Property Code and acts against usurpation of the title of conseil en propriété industrielle or the use of titles liable to create confusion, in conjunction with Article L423-1, which frames advertising and personalised solicitation by CPI. It promotes industrial property among the public, businesses and the French industrial fabric through conferences, seminars, communication actions and press articles, and maintains relations with foreign ecosystems, receiving foreign delegations and sending delegations abroad several times a year. It also defines the ethical and professional rules and usages of the CPI and monitors their observance, issuing recommendations on loyalty and professional practice. Its website provides a directory for finding a CPI or an IP firm, information on the profession, free consultations, news and an agenda of conferences, training sessions, trade fairs and workshops.

The Compagnie nationale des conseils en propriété industrielle (CNCPI) is the successor to the Compagnie nationale des conseils en brevets. Its creation followed the deep reform of the patent-agent profession carried out by Law No. 90-1052 of 26 November 1990, which created the profession of conseil en propriété industrielle (industrial property attorney). That reform replaced the earlier regime for conseils en brevets with a regulated liberal profession comparable to lawyers and chartered accountants, and the CNCPI became the official body grouping and representing all members of the new profession. The rules governing the CNCPI's role and operation, as well as the conditions and procedures for entering and practising the profession, are defined in Book IV of the legislative part of the French Intellectual Property Code, in Articles R 422-8 to R 423-2 of the same code, and in the CNCPI's internal rules (règlement intérieur), approved by an arrêté of 8 March 2025 and published in the Journal officiel No. 0061 of 12 March 2025. Under Article L422-9 of the Intellectual Property Code, the CNCPI is tasked with representing conseils en propriété industrielle before the public authorities, promoting access to their services throughout the territory, defending their professional interests, ensuring compliance with the obligation of continuing professional training, and ensuring respect for the rules of professional ethics. It also participates in promoting the use of industrial property rights in innovation processes. The CNCPI represents the profession before national institutions such as the executive and parliament, the INPI, chambers of commerce and professional organisations; before European institutions such as the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), the European Patent Office (EPO), the European Commission and the European Parliament; and before international institutions such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It also represents the profession before professional associations in industrial property. It is a member of ANIPA (Association of National Institutes of Intellectual Property Attorneys), a European association federating representative organisations of counterparts of French CPI in major EU member states (Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Austria, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Liechtenstein, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and the Czech Republic), and of the GNIPA (Global Network of National IP Practitioner Associations), a worldwide association grouping representative organisations of counterparts of CPI from many countries. In its role of protecting the public and defending the title, the CNCPI monitors compliance with Article L422-1 of the Intellectual Property Code and acts against usurpation of the title of conseil en propriété industrielle or the use of titles liable to create confusion. This is linked to Article L423-1, which frames advertising and personalised solicitation by CPI for representing third parties, giving legal consultations or drafting documents in industrial property. These legal provisions aim to ensure the quality and safety of the advice given, particularly to inventors protecting their inventions. These principles have been affirmed by case law in several decisions, notably a judgment of the Tribunal de grande instance de Paris No. 09/05586, 3rd chamber/3rd section, of 4 March 2011, in proceedings in which the INPI and the CNCPI were plaintiffs. The CNCPI also contributes to the promotion of industrial property among the public, businesses and the French industrial fabric. It takes part in conferences and seminars and in communication actions with counterparts and foreign offices, and publishes press articles in economic and professional journals. It maintains relations with many foreign ecosystems in Europe and on other continents, sending delegations several times a year to meet practitioners and organisations in different countries, and receiving foreign delegations. It defines the ethical and professional rules and usages of the CPI and monitors their observance, issuing recommendations on loyalty and professional practice.

• 2025

  Arrêté of 8 March 2025 approves the CNCPI's internal rules, published in the Journal officiel No. 0061 of 12 March 2025.

• 2011

  Judgment of the Tribunal de grande instance de Paris No. 09/05586, 3rd chamber/3rd section, of 4 March 2011, in proceedings where the INPI and the CNCPI were plaintiffs, affirms principles on protection of the title.

• 1990

  Law No. 90-1052 of 26 November 1990 creates the profession of conseil en propriété industrielle; the CNCPI succeeds the Compagnie nationale des conseils en brevets.

Official professional body and regulator for the French industrial property attorney profession, guaranteeing independence, probity and ethical practice.

• Annuaire (directory of CPI and IP firms)

  Online directory allowing the public to search for a conseil en propriété industrielle or an IP firm.

• Permanences gratuites (free consultations)

  Free consultation sessions offered by CPI.

• B.A.-BA information modules

  Educational content on why and how to protect intellectual property, possible protections, FAQ and glossary.

• Disciplinary chamber decisions

  Publication of decisions of the Chambre de discipline.

1. 1CNCPIcncpi.fr
2. 2Compagnie nationale des conseils en propriété industriellewikidata.org
3. 3Compagnie nationale des conseils en propriété industriellefr.wikipedia.org