The jury praised Merel's work for treating a complicated legal subject accurately and intelligently. Her achievement is remarkable because the material is rather complex, and the literature is scarce and quite obscure. Merel makes a good and clear comparison between the various protective regimes, and writes clearly and with humor. In addition, she draws attention to important issues for lawmakers, according to the jury report.

The Benelux Association for Trademark and Design Rights gives this prestigious award each year to a student who has written a noteworthy thesis or article in the field of intellectual property. The jury believes that the added value of Merel's paper from a theoretical and academic point of view is indisputable and that she therefore richly deserves the BMM Student Award.