The International Conference “Patents and XXI century”, organized by
European and Eurasian Patent Offices was held in Saint-Petersburg on September 1, 2003.

Holding of the
Conference in the North capital of Russia – Saint-Petersburg is a sign of
homage to the great city during of its glorious anniversary year.

Heads and experts of
International and National Patent Offices, patent attorneys, representatives of
enterprises and organizations in scientific and technical, industrial, and
other fields of activity from CIS and Europe took part in the Conference.

Delegations of the
European Patent Office and the Eurasian Patent Office were headed by the
Presidents – Dr. Ingo Kober and Dr.Victor Blinnikov.

The EPO delegation was
also represented by Vice-president of EPO Dr. Manuel Desantes, by assistant of
President of EPO Dr. Aidan Kendrick, and by Project Leader on CIS and Mongolia
of Department for International Technical Cooperation of EPO Ms. Nina Fomby.
The delegation of the Eurasian Patent Office was represented by Vice-president
of EAPO Dr. Alexander Grigoriev and attendants. The World Intellectual Property
Organization was represented by Head of PCT Reform Section of WIPO Mr. Claus
Matthes.

Representatives of
fourteen European and Asian States tookpart in
the Conference’s work:

Heads of the Patent
Offices of Republic of Azerbaijan (Mr. Mir Yagub Seidov), Republic of Armenia
(Mr. Armen Azizyan), Republic of Belarus (Mr. Valery Kudashov), Georgia (Mr.
David Gabunia), Republic of Kazakhstan (Mrs. Nurgaysha Sakhipova), the Kyrgyz
Republic (Mr. Roman Omorov), Republic of Moldova (Mr. Nikolay Taran), Russia
Federation (Mr. Alexander Korchagin), Republic of Tajikistan (Mr. Inom
Takhirov), Ukraine (Mr. Nikolay Palady);

Deputy heads of the
Patent offices of Mongolia (Tsedenish Shinebayar) and Republic of Turkmenistan
(Rustemmurat Payzullayev);

Experts of the Patent
Offices of Norway and Republic of Uzbekistan.

Patent attorneys and
companies of patent attorneys, organizations and enterprises, actively filing
the aplications with the EAPO, participated in the conference. Among them there
were such leading companies and institutions of patent attorneys as “Law Firm
Gorodissky and Partners”, Institute of Professional Representatives before the
European Patent Office, “Sojuzpatent”, “Nevinpat“, “VTPU Agency’,
“Euromarkpat”, “Arkos”, “Advocate patent office “Rotary”, enterprises, organizations and companies
“Electrosila”, “Svetlana”, “Air Liquide”, “Goulings International Inc.”,
“Giprorybflot”, “Polisan”, “LMZ”, “LoNIIS”, “Kraton Polymer Research” and many
others.

The Conference excited
a great interest of international business community and professionals in the
field of intellectual property protection.

The interest of
participants on this International Conference is absolutely understandable –
the main task was the direct contacts between the creators of inventions and
staff of patent offices who deals with the legal protection of industrial
property, between those who invents, draws up the documentation, files
applications and represents the interests of inventors and applicants, and who
evaluates the protectability of inventions, grants patents and provides the
World Community with patent technical information.

A wide range of actual
problems was presented by reports and electronic issues on the Conference under
Chairmanship of the Vice-president of EAPO Dr. A. Grigoriev:

by President of the
Eurasian Patent Office, Dr. V. Blinnikov – “Eurasian Patent System and Its Role
in the CIS Region”;

by President of the
European Patent Office, Dr. I. Kober – “Change and Development in the European
Patent System: Preparingfor the Years Ahead”;

by General Director of
Rospatent, Dr. A. Korchagin – “New Patent Law of Russian Federation”;

by Head of the PCT
Reform Section of WIPO Mr. C. Matthes – “The Future of PCT within the
International Patent System”;

by Vice-president of
“Air Liquide” company, Dr. T. Sueur – “Foreign Investments and Patents”;

by President of the
Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office,
Dr. W. Holzer – “Economic Evaluation of Patent Rights”;

by General Director of
“Law Firm Gorodissky and Partners” Mr. V. Medvedev – “Eurasian and European
Patents: Similar and Distinctive Issues.”

The Program of the
Conference was finished by discussion and constructive exchange of views in the
framework of round table.

The Conference, as was
noted by participants, contributed to the better understanding of modern
processes in the field of legal protection of industrial property and the
progress tendency in XXI century. It became one more remarkable step on the way
of solution of those global tasks, for which the institutions of intellectual
property and patent community exist.