Marking 20 years since the establishment of the Eurasian Patent Organization, the International Conference “The Role of Regional Patent Organizations in the Creation of a Global Intellectual Property Protection System” was held at The Baltschug Kempinski Hotel, Moscow, 10th November 2015.

The conference was attended by the leaders of patent offices, plenipotentiaries of the States Party to the Eurasian Patent Convention, representatives of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), European Patent Office (EPO), African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI), African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI), EAPO Administrative Council veterans responsible for a major corporate advancement of the Eurasian Patent Organization, representatives of the patent offices of Hungary, Japan, Moldova, Embassy of the Republic of Tajikistan to the Russian Federation, Eurasian patent attorneys and staff members of the Eurasian Patent Office.

Abzal Yestaev, Chairman of the Administrative Council of the Eurasian Patent Organization (EAPO), opened the Conference.

Early on in his presentation “Eurasian Patent Organization: 20 Years”, EAPO President Alexander Grigoriev thanked the delegates many of whom had facilitated the establishment of the Eurasian patent system and propelled the advancement of the Eurasian Patent Organization.

Dr Francis Gurry, Director General, WIPO, spoke about the evolution of the global intellectual property system.

Paulin Edou Edou, Director General, OAPI, made an overview of the African Intellectual Property Organization experience in protecting industrial property.

Fernando Dos Santos, Director General, African Regional Intellectual Property Organization, analysed the role of ARIPO in bridging regional economic blocs in Africa through intellectual property.

Timur Suleimenov, Member of the Board, Minister for Economy and Financial Policy of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), spoke about intellectual property as part of Eurasian integration.

Carlo Pandolfi, Director, International Co-operation, EPO, made a presentation about the European Patent Organization’s role in advancing the global intellectual property system.

Olga Sirakova, Deputy Secretary General of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property, focused on the role of AIPPI in harmonising the protection of intellectual property.

Valery Medvedev, Managing Partner, “Gorodissky & Partners” Law Firm, spoke about the co-operation between EAPO and “Gorodissky & Partners” in the past 20 years.

The jubilee conference was also the venue for bilateral meetings with Francis Gurry,

WIPO Director General, Fernando Dos Santos, Director General of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization,

and Paulin Edou Edou, Director General of the African Intellectual Property Organization.

The meeting parties reiterated their commitment to promoting their co-operation.

At the complimentary stage of the conference, EAPO President Alexander Grigoriev presented special EAPO awards to the Office veterans and accepted warm and heartfelt congratulations on the EAPO jubilee from the delegates.

A gala dinner capped the jubilee conference.