EAPO President Grigory Ivliev takes part in the IX BRICS Legal Forum, which is held these days in Moscow. Grigory Ivliev noted that numerous international treaties regulate intellectual property, define the international framework and determine the development trends for national legislation.

“The Design Law Treaty is scheduled to be adopted at the Diplomatic Conference in Riyadh in November this year. The set of these treaties makes filing and registration procedures in different countries more foreseeable for applicants. These international treaties help to harmonize laws with the BRICS countries,” Mr. Ivliev stated.

Speaking about the Eurasian Patent Organization, Grigory Ivliev noted that national and Eurasian patents are valid simultaneously on the same territory. The coexistence of supranational and national protection systems requires the harmonization of approaches in granting patent protection. The Eurasian Patent Prosecution Highway program (EA-PPH) is one means of harmonization, which improves the quality of patents, reduces duplication of search and examination efforts and reduces costs for applicants. Under the EA-PPH, when the Office of Earlier Examination assesses the patentability of a patent application, the Office of Later Examination ensures that the applicant enjoys the benefit of an accelerated examination for the corresponding application.

On the sidelines of the IX BRICS Legal Forum, Grigory Ivliev and Director of the Republican Research Institute of Intellectual Property (RSRIIP) Vladimir Lopatin signed an agreement on scientific and innovative cooperation between the EAPO and RSRIIP. The agreement envisages examination, generalization and promotion of the best practices of granting legal protection, as well as improved training of specialists.