EAPO President Grigory Ivliev took part in the VII International Forum of Lawyers and Economists. It was held at Kutafin Moscow State Law University and focused on modern challenges of law and economics.

Grigory Ivliev reported about the role of the Eurasian Patent Organization in the integration processes in the Eurasian space. The Eurasian Patent Office initiated a project on the creation of a common Eurasian information and examination space with the assistance of its Member States. It includes 2 main aspects: IT cooperation between offices and cooperation in the field of examination.

Last year, the technology of working with 3D models in the application files was successfully scaled up. Another new area for cooperation includes the project on the creation of a common open register. It will enable applicants to obtain information on protected IP in the region through a single access point. A key area of cooperation is the examination of applications.

“Our goal is to ensure the highest level of harmonization of approaches to the granting of patent protection, given that Eurasian and national patents are concurrently valid in the EAPO Member States. We cooperate with the national patent offices to conduct joint search and examination of patent applications. The EA-PPH program and the Eurasian project on electronic exchange of copies of priority documents have been created,” stated Grigory Ivliev.

According to Mr. Ivliev, cooperation between national patent offices can facilitate the harmonization process of legislation and law enforcement practice, despite the fundamental independence of national legal systems. This will help prevent conflicts and increase the predictability of decisions for the business community and citizens.

Development of industrial property protection in Eurasia was one of the main forum discussions moderated by the Counselor to the President of the EAPO Mr. Armen Azizyan. Vladimir Ryabovolov, Director General of NCIP of the Republic of Belarus, Olga Tereshchenko, Vice-Rector of RSAIP, Eduard Shablin, President of the Assembly of Eurasian Patent Attorneys, EAPO representatives Sergey Averkiev, Aurelia Ceban, Yulia Fedorova, and Assemgul Abenova participated in the session.

They discussed the prospects for creating the Eurasian system for legal protection of utility models and trademarks, the EA-PPH program, the Eurasian system of industrial design protection, the Eurasian system of patent dispute resolution, and further improvement.

There are still some challenges to be addressed, including the elimination of duplication of work carried out by different patent offices involving the same inventions; the accession of the Eurasian Patent Organization to the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs; the enhancement of the industrial property dispute resolution system.