On 14 December 2023, the EU leaders decided to start negotiations with Ukraine on joining the European Union. The European Commission is beginning to prepare the technical aspects of membership negotiations with Ukraine (the so-called negotiation framework) without further delay.

The European Commission, in its Report within the framework of the Enlargement Package, published in early November 2023, noted the significant progress in the sphere of intellectual property of Ukraine and published several recommendations on further harmonisation of national legislation with EU law.

On 12 December 2023, another landmark event for the IP sphere took place: the European Commission and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) signed an agreement on the start of the implementation of the EU Regional Program to support the intellectual property sphere of Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia (the Program).

The program is aimed at strengthening the innovation ecosystem, strengthening the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights and creating a favourable environment for the development of innovation, creativity and competition in view of the European integration vector of the development of these countries. The program is designed for four years and is jointly financed by the European Commission in the amount of 2.8 million euros and the EUIPO in the amount of 1.2 million euros for a total of 4 million euros.

Ukraine’s participation in the program will open up new perspectives and facilitate the progress towards legal harmonization with the EU acquis, which will ensure the creation of reliable tools and mechanisms for the protection of intellectual property rights and improvement of the business environment. As part of implementing the program, measures are planned for professional training, continuing training – particularly for Ukrainian judges with the aim to strengthen justice in the intellectual property sphere – and the implementation of grant support.

Proceeding with signing the project, Gert Jan Koopman, Director-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) in the European Commission, said: “The project we are signing with the EUIPO today will be an important contribution to Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine’s efforts on their path to EU accession. By supporting the establishment of strong intellectual property rights, this project will also contribute to improving the business environment and to enhancing economic growth. The EUIPO’s expertise will be key in assisting our partner countries to navigate the practical implications of their EU aspirations in this important field.”

“ The EUIPO has a very clear goal: to ensure that IP systems contribute to well-functioning markets and support innovation and creativity to generate growth, prosperity and opportunities – not only in the EU but also abroad. During my October visit to Kyiv, I reinforced the EUIPO’s commitment to work closely with our neighbouring partners. Today’s agreement will help strengthen the protection and enforcement of IP rights in Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova according to the commitments of the respective Association Agreements and in support of the accession process”, said João Negrão, Executive Director of the EUIPO.

Olena Orliuk, Director of the Ukrainian IP Office, emphasised that “such a decision is the result of strengthening Ukraine's cooperation with the European Commission and EUIPO. Implementing the Program will create new opportunities for Ukrainian businesses, creators and inventors, which is particularly important in the conditions of a full-scale war. Our joint efforts will guarantee effective protection and enforcement of IP on the way to European integration and post-war recovery, stability of economic infrastructure, ensuring investment attraction and raising the level of IP legal culture”.

With this joint action, the European Commission, the EUIPO, and partner countries will work together to build more resilient, competitive, and integrated economies.

“We have implemented many important structural reforms, and we plan to maintain the high dynamics of European integration processes and regional cooperation in the future. The implementation of the Program will be a qualitative basis for speeding up the adaptation of Ukrainian legislation to the EU acquis, implementing the recommendations of the European Commission and accelerating internal transformations in the field of IP and raising awareness in this sphere," emphasised Bohdan Paduchak, First Deputy Director of the Ukrainian IP Office.

The start of the program’s implementation is scheduled for the beginning of 2024.

Further readings:

• IP&I for Science and Business: WIPO continues to support TISC in Ukraine
• Ukrainian Delegation Took Part in the 31st CDIP session

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) welcomes the expansion of the Technology and Innovation Support Centres (TISC) network in Ukraine and hopes that Ukrainian innovators will use all available mechanisms to operate and commercialise their creations successfully.

Currently, the TISC global network consists of 1,530 centres in 93 countries. Last year alone, these centres provided more than 2 million consultations to inventors and creators worldwide.

This was emphasised by Mr Andrew CZAJKOWSKI, Director of WIPO Technology and Innovation Support Division, during his opening remarks at the IP&I for Science and Business event in Kyiv:

“WIPO looks forward to continuing its strong support for TISCs in Ukraine as regards capacity development, providing resources, and reinforcing networking with other TISC networks around the world. I am most pleased to inform you of our continuing support in providing free-of-charge access for Ukrainian institutions to what are usually expensive subscription-based scientific and technical journal databases available through the Research for Life Partnership, in particular, WIPO's Access to Research for Development and Innovation (ARDI) program, as well as free-of-charge access to what are usually costly commercial patent databases through the Access to Specialised Patent Information (ASPI) program. We hope very much that you will be able to make use of them as much as possible.”

Andrew Czajkowski

Andrew Czajkowski also positively noted the activity of the TISC network in Ukraine, emphasising its role in the development of an innovative environment, which is necessary for quality economic development:

“Well-developed intellectual property and innovation ecosystems are essential for enabling inventors, researchers, entrepreneurs and others to fulfil their innovative potential and create value from their ideas and inventions. TISCs play an important role in such an ecosystem by providing access to and supporting the effective use of the vast storage of information and knowledge produced by the Global Patent System. TISCs continue to evolve and offer a growing and broader range of technology and innovation support services, including patent search and analytic services, technology transfer and new product development support”, — noted Mr Czajkowski.

International cooperation and new projects for young Ukrainian creators are something that is also being worked on in Poland. Lukasz Wawak, the project manager at the Polish-Ukrainian Startup Bridge, emphasised this:

“Our large-scale cooperation can be a chance for both Ukraine and Poland. We are currently working on preparing new projects for Ukrainian startups and technology entrepreneurs, which will be larger and will include more partners from Ukraine and Poland.”

Lukasz Wawak

Photo: Yurii Bielakh

You can follow the broadcast of the IP&I for Science and Business event on the IP Office’s YouTube channel:

On 4^th-6^th of December 12th session of the Working Group on the Legal Development of the Hague system for the International Registration of Industrial Designs (Hague Working Group) took place at the WIPO Headquarters.

The Agenda of Working Group meeting included considerations on the following items:

• Freezing of the Application of the 1960 Act;

(documents H/LD/WG/12/3, H/LD/WG/12/4, H/LD/WG/12/5);

• Proposal for Amending Rule 14 of the Common Regulations;

(document H/LD/WG/12/6);

• Proposal for Amending the Schedule of Fees;

(document H/LD/WG/12/7 Rev);

• Continued consideration of the introduction of new working languages of the Hague system;

(document H/LD/WG/12/8).

At the beginning of the session, the new members to the Hague Agreement were welcomed, namely Brazil (entry into force on August 1, 2023) and Mauritius (entry into force on May 6, 2023).

Ms. Le Thi Tuyet Mai (Viet Nam), Madam Chair of Working Group

Hague Act of 1960 is going down in history?

Since January 1, 2010, the Hague Agreement has been in force on the basis of two different acts, namely the Hague Act of the Hague Agreement (1960 Act) and the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement (1999 Act).

Ukraine is the part of Hague Agreement under 1960 Act as well as under 1999 Act.

Following the accession of Morocco in 2022 and Suriname in 2020 to the 1999 Act, no member of the Hague Union has been left outside the scope of the 1999 Act. Following this, member states and the WIPO International Bureau began discussing ways to unify The Hague system based on the 1999 Act.

In its analysis, the International Bureau of WIPO found that after Morocco and Suriname joined the 1999 Act, registrations under the 1960 Act began to account for only 0.32% of all international registrations under the Hague system.

Based on the results of this session, the Working Group decided to submit a proposal to the Assembly of the Hague Union to suspend the 1960 Act with a proposed effective date of January 1, 2025.

The adoption of such a decision by the Hague Union Assembly, which is scheduled for July 2024, will contribute to legal certainty and allow for the unification of the Hague system. As a result, it should increase convenience and clarity for applicants. It is also worth noting that such a decision, if adopted, will not affect international registrations made under the 1960 Act.

Amendments to Rule 14 of the Common Regulations

These amendments address suggestions made by Member States during the 11th session of the Hague Working Group, and are intended to provide applicants with greater opportunities to extend the time limit for remedying non-compliance with the conditions set out in Rule 14(1) of the Common Regulations, as well as to increase the possibility of refunds for fees paid prior to international registration.

After considering this issue, the Working Group decided to recommend to the Assembly of the Hague Union to amend Rule 14 of the Common Regulations and the Schedule of Fees and Charges, with an effective date to be determined by the International Bureau of WIPO.

Amending the amount of fees

This issue has been considered by the Working Group since the 8th session (2019) as one of the main factors that negatively affects the financial stability of the Hague system.

The WIPO International Bureau has developed a proposal to increase the fee for each additional design included in an international application from 19 to 50 Swiss francs. This proposal was supposed to enter into force in January 2021, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact, there was a delay in the procedure, and the proposal submitted to The Hague Union Assembly only in July 2023, where it was approved.

These fee changes will come into force on January 1, 2024, in accordance with paragraph 13 of the Report of the Assembly of the Hague Union (document H/A/43/2).

In addition, the International Bureau received requests from Member States to study the issue of a possible increase in the amount of the renewal fee for each design variant (from 17 to 50 Swiss francs) and to prepare a more general review of the Hague System of Fees and Charges for discussion at future sessions.

The results of the study include conclusions on the objective circumstances for the fee increase, such as the impact of inflation, as the amount of the fee for the extension of an international registration term has not changed since 1996, and the structural deficit of the Hague system,

Nevertheless, the Working Group decided not to recommend to the Hague Assembly to adopt a decision on increasing the renewal fee due to the large number of reservations from Member States, and requested the WIPO International Bureau to prepare a broader review of the fees and charges of the Hague system, including an analysis of the impact of the fee increase, which is to take effect on January 1, 2024.

Implementation of new working languages to The Hague System

Following previous requests from member states, the WIPO International Bureau held consultations within user groups and representatives of the countries party to the Hague Agreement on the language regime of the Hague system. As a reminder, the current working languages are English, French and Spanish.

Some respondents advocated the introduction of their languages as languages of the Hague system. This is due to the difficulties of hiring an interpreter or representative, which entails additional costs. There were also completely opposite opinions, in particular, regarding the revision of the language policy and leaving English exclusively within the system.

The parties expressed the need for a balanced approach to adding new languages, as this would increase the burden on applicants, which could lead to additional increases in fees and charges and undermine the main advantage of the system – cost-effectiveness.

The study set out in document H/LD/WG/12/8 also notes the need for the Working Group to determine the criteria for selecting new languages. This statement was made by the representative of the Ukrainian delegation, the First Deputy Director of the “Ukrainian National Office for Intellectual Property and Innovations” (UANIPIO) Bohdan Paduchak:

«The research outcomes provide a good basis for further discussion, offering insights into various criteria for introducing new languages. Primarily, we draw attention to the request outlined in paragraph 16 of document H/LD/WG/12/8, emphasizing the interest of user groups in applying objective criteria, such as the number of filings (actual and potential), rather than introducing a language based solely on a request from a specific Contracting Party. And some stakeholders have expressed interest in introducing languages beyond the official UN languages».

The initiative to include new languages in The Hague system came from the delegations of russia and China, in particular, the proposal to prepare for the introduction of russian was argued mainly by the status of the official language of the United Nations.

Position of Ukraine

Ukraine strongly supported the statement made by the Polish delegation on behalf of the Central European and Baltic States (CEBS) Regional Group, which noted the need for a balanced and gradual approach to the introduction of new languages, as well as the importance of discussing the objectives, financial and organizational aspects of such an initiative as a matter of priority.

Anna Barbarzak, representative of Poland, coordinator of the CEBS Regional Group

The Ukrainian delegation emphasized that it shared the reservations of user groups and Member States regarding the introduction of new languages into the Hague system. It was also noted that, unlike a similar issue within the Madrid Working Group, the WIPO International Bureau study did not provide assurances that the introduction of new languages would not lead to an increase in fees under the Hague system.

In addition, Ukrainian delegates expressed categorical objection to the introduction of the russian language: «Ukraine also finds insufficient justification for the introduction of the russian language in the Hague System. We believe that any introduction of language options should be carefully evaluated, taking into account the specific needs and challenges faced by users. Referring to document H/LD/WG/12/8, we do not see russian language among Designs Contained in Hague Applications at the first three quarters of 2023, and low rankings in most other objective criteria, the exclusive application of which is a key finding of this research». – stated Bohdan Paduchak.

As a result of intensive discussions that took almost two of the three days of the 12th session, as well as due to to the cooperation of the Ukrainian delegation with representatives of Poland (coordinator of the CEBS group) and representatives of the Netherlands (coordinator of Group B), together with like-minded countries, the Hague Working Group decided not to introduce russian and Chinese into the list of working languages of the Hague system, but to continue the discussion at the next sessions.

The next Session of the Hague Working Group is scheduled for October 2024.

The work of the WIPO Member States during the 31^st session of the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) has ended.

The participants of the meeting considered work programs for the implementation of the adopted recommendations under the WIPO Development Agenda, in particular, reports on the projects’ implementation progress:

• from Philippines – “IP and innovation collaboration as a foundation for technology transfer and bringing research output to market”;
• from India – “Intellectual property and unlocking the potential of non-agricultural geographical indications for the empowerment of local communities and preservation of revival of local arts and traditions”;
• and from Brazil – “Distribution of content in the digital environment”.

The Ukrainian delegation, heade by the IP Office’s First Deputy Director, Mr Bohdan Paduchak, focused on keeping the issue of the impact of russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine among all items on the Committee’s current and future agenda.

Preparation for the International Conference on Intellectual Property and Development

During the 29th session, the CDIP decided to convene three consecutive International Conferences on IP and Development starting in 2025. The organisation of such conferences is a permanent practice of WIPO, during which the knowledge and experience of stakeholders from all over the world are consolidated. Such events have become a platform for forming a common understanding of current IP issues, developing strategies for maximising the global IP system's benefits and engaging international institutions’ efforts to overcome global challenges.

Edward Kwakwa, Assistant Director General at the WIPO

The subject of active discussion during the 31st CDIP’s session was the discussion of proposed sub-topics for the next International Conference on Intellectual Property and Development in 2025. The Ukrainian delegation supported, in particular, the following topics:

• Group B Member States’ proposals: “Vertical technology transfer for higher education institutions and industry”, “Education and IP trainings at schools and universities, IP raising awareness among children and youth ”, “IP and financing for SMEs”;

The delegation of Ukraine supported the proposals of Group B, in particular, regarding IPRs awareness raising initiatives among children and youth as this topic correlates with the content of the Ukrainian’s delegation statement during the previous meeting of the Committee. Mr Paduchak, the IP Office’s First Deputy Director, emphasised he following in his statement:“Ukraine urgently needs to strengthen its innovation potential, focusing on expanding young people participation in the national innovation system, supporting them in more effective use of the IP system to protect and commercialise their intellectual property rights. With the support of WIPO, our national IP Academy is already actively working with the younger generation - from elementary school students to university students. We believe it is crucial to develop IP culture and knowledge from childhood”.

Bohdan Paduchak, the IP Office’s First Deputy Director

Photo: WIPO

• “IP and creative minds - understanding the future of creativity through IP”, proposed by the distinguished delegation of Poland;
• “IP and innovation in the conditions of natural disasters", "IP and education", and "IP in the digital world", proposed by the distinguished delegation of Slovenia;

The Ukrainian delegation emphasised that the topic of IP and innovation in the face of natural disasters “is of particular interest to Ukraine, which recently suffered from the war crime of ecocide due to Russia's detonation of the Kakhovka hydroelectric plant as a result of which damage to the environment of Ukraine in the amount of 14 billion US dollars was caused. Four hundred ninety-five thousand hectares, including ten national natural parks, eight reserves, and two biosphere reserves, remain under Russian occupation. Almost a third of Ukrainian forests are damaged. Six hundred animal species have been affected, and 80 animal species are on the verge of extinction. Encouraging innovation through the IP system to solve such problems not only contributes to developing innovation infrastructure but also directly helps save human lives”.

• “The role of IP in stimulating innovation using AI for sustainable development”, proposed by the distinguished delegation of Great Britain;

During the discussion of this subtopic, the Ukrainian delegation shared its national experience.

“Recently, the government of Ukraine presented a road map for the legislative regulation within the field of artificial intelligence in Ukraine, which will be implemented in two stages, at least until 2027. With the new version of the Copyright Law that came into force earlier this year, we also covered the issue of rights to non-original objects generated by computer programs, including artificial intelligence. Such works can now be protected by a special ‘sui generis’ law”, Bohdan Paduchak noted.

The African Group’s proposal, “The Role of Intellectual Property and Innovation in addressing global public health challenges fostering Technology Transfer and Cooperation”, was chosen based on the discussion results.

Future development projects of the WIPO CDIP

Topics for the subsequent CDIP work sessions were also defined within the agenda item “Intellectual property and development”, particularly:

• “Building the capacity of universities to manage and commercialise intellectual property: transferring intellectual property and technology”, proposed by the African Group for the thirty-third CDIP session (December 2024);

• “AI Impacts for IP and Development”, proposed by distinguished delegations of Brazil and the United Kingdom ;

• “Intellectual Property and the Judiciary: Building Capacities and Expertise', proposed by Group B for the thirty-fourth session of the CDIP (April 2025).

The last topic is particularly relevant and urgent for Ukraine, in view of the harmonisation of national legislation with EU acquis and the sphere of IP judicial proceedings.

In his statement< Bohdan Paduchak emphasised:

“Ukraine is actively developing the system of IPRs protection, particularly preparing for the launch of the High Court on Intellectual Property. Our dedication to sharing best practices and capacity building in IP and the judiciary underlines our commitment to ensuring the sustainability of IP assets for economic development. On November 14, 2023, WIPO signed two Memorandums of Understanding with the Ukrainian Supreme Court. The purpose of these Memorandums is to promote cooperation and joint activities, including developing targeted programs for building the potential of the judicial system of Ukraine and disseminating leading Ukrainian court decisions in the field of IP through the WIPO Lex-Judgments database”.

Intellectual property as a tool for addressing climate change and achieving carbon neutralityThe attention of the international IP community was focused on the role of IP addressing climate change, a balanced approach to the use of natural resources and new technologies. In this regard, the Ukrainian delegation emphasised the irreversible destructive consequences of the war for the ecosystem and its sustainability.

“Ukraine is a country of ecological luxury: 35% of Europe’s biodiversity is concentrated here. But now, russian aggression against Ukraine has already caused more than 55.6 billion Euros in environmental damage, and 252 cases of environmental war crimes have been recorded. Ukraine is one of the most mined countries in the world; about a third of its territory remains potentially dangerous due to Russian mines and unexploded ordnance. The World Bank estimates the full range of humanitarian demining works will cost 37.4 billion US dollars. Still, the use of new technologies can significantly reduce these costs”, – emphasized Ukrainian delegation representatives.

A significant part of the discussion by the WIPO secretariat was devoted to the WIPO Green platform and digital tools to stimulate green innovation.

The Ukrainian delegation called on WIPO member states to take into account the environmental of the war,to unequivocally condemn russia’s aggressive war and its violation of international law, including the UN Charter, in the most assertive possible manner.

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) will continue to support Ukraine in strengthening the intellectual property system and developing the innovative ecosystem and creative sectors of the economy.

Habip Asan, Director of the Division for Transition and Developed Countries (TDC) of the World Intellectual Property Organization, emphasised this in his video address during the IP LET FORUM. He also noted Ukraine’s active cooperation with the WIPO:

“You are a valued member, and we are proud to partner with you to strengthen your IP system and support your innovation and creativity sector. […] I want to reaffirm WIPO’s commitment to providing concrete assistance and support to Ukraine, as indicated in the conclusions of the Report on the Assistance and Support for Ukraine’s Innovation and Creativity Sector and Intellectual Property System.

“The MoU signed between WIPO and the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine on Cooperation in the Sphere of Intellectual Property also marks a new chapter in our cooperation. We look forward to working together to achieve the ambitious goals of the MoU to strengthen the national innovation ecosystem”, — emphasised Mr Asan.

The speaker noted the cooperation with the WIPO Academy and congratulated the completion of the training program for trainers and the creation of a pool of advanced experts for the National IP Academy:

“It is important to mention that in the past five years, approximately 450 scholarships for hybrid/distance learning courses were given to IP professionals on the recommendation of the Ukraine IP Office. More than 6000 participants have benefited from WIPO Academy’s hybrid/distance learning courses. Academia (43%) and the private sector (36%) make up for the most participation. And women account for more than 60% of participation. I encourage more Ukrainian stakeholders to participate in Academy courses.

“Another significant achievement is the joint project on Technology and Innovation Support Centers. We are pleased to follow the ongoing growth of the Ukrainian TISCs Network and are ready to continue supporting you with this endeavor”.

In addition, Mr Asan noted the joint work of WIPO and the Ukrainian IP Office directed at both supporting Ukrainian stakeholders in the IP field and the UANIPIO’s performance on the International Searching Authority (ISA)/International Preliminary Examining Authorities (IPEA) (ISA/IPEA) functions:

“We are pleased to cooperate closely with the Ukrainian IP Office as an International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining Authority under the PCT. This will allow Ukrainian innovators to access more efficient and cost-effective patent searches and examinations, further propelling their innovation journey.”

Watch the full version of the video address of the Director of the WIPO’s Division for Transition and Developed Countries (TDC), as well as the speeches of other speakers given at the Forum, on the IP Office’s YouTube channel:

Marichka Padalko, Host at the IP LET FORUM

Photo: Yurii Bielakh

Ukrainian delegation is taking part in the working session of the WIPO Committee on Development and Intellectual Property.

This week, the 31st session of the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) is taking place at the WIPO headquarters. The Ukrainian delegation, headed by the First Deputy Director of Ukrainian IP Office Bohdan Paduchak, with the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva, also joined the active work.

The Agenda

Since the moment of its foundation, CDIP has been WIPO`s central authority responsible for coordinating the implementation of the 45 adopted recommendations under the WIPO`s Development Agenda (DA). The CDIP regularly monitors the implementation of each DA recommendation through Progress Reports, which include reports on the activities of the relevant WIPO sectors and divisions, as well as Reports by the Director General on the CDIP’s activities.

The 31st session of the meeting was opened by WIPO’s Deputy Director General for Regional and National Development Hasan Kleib, who emphasized the crucial role of IP for economic development, improving living standards and maintaining the balance of the international ecosystem, developing partnerships between all its participants. He emphasized that the community's focus remains on supporting small and medium-sized businesses, strengthening the role of women and youth, and the impact of climate change.

The discussion was focused on monitoring, evaluation, discussion and reporting on the implementation of all DA recommendations. The relevant report is presented in document CDIP/31/2, which contains a detailed overview of WIPO's achievements in implementing the DA recommendations, WIPO's expected results, as well as related DA projects. Thus, one of WIPO's activities under DA Recommendation 1 on Technical Assistance and Capacity Building is “finalization of a needs-assessment on technical assistance and other solutions to assure the business continuity and development of the Ukrainian National Office for Intellectual Property and Innovations (UANIPIO).

For each recommendation, the report outlines the implementation strategy adopted by the Committee.

Among the most significant projects: “Copyright and the Distribution of Content in the Digital Environment” (CDIP/31/6) and “Intellectual Property and Socio-Economic Development” (CDIP/31/8).

In addition, the following WIPO guides were presented:

• “Drawing on Creativity, Copyright for Animation Industry Professionals: A Training Tool” (CDIP/31/INF/2),
• “The Role of Intellectual Property Rights in the Fashion Industry: From Conception to Commercialization” (CDIP/31/INF/3),
• “Building a Digital Publishing Economy: Opportunities and Framework for Development” (CDIP/31/INF/4).

The session will also consider proposals for development projects for Brazil (CDIP/31/10), India (CDIP/31/9) and the Philippines (CDIP/31/5).

The session will also discuss topics for the next International Conference on Intellectual Property and Development (2025).

The mandate of the CDIP covers the consideration and discussion of key initiatives aimed at addressing global challenges and unlocking the potential of intellectual property in various sectors, in line with WIPO's Medium-Term Strategic Plan (MTSP) for 2022-2026 and the Sustainable Development Goals and Economic Growth (SDGs).

Ukraine's Position

However, the goals of the global IP community and the effective development of the sphere cannot be fully achieved without taking into account global challenges, the catalyst for which was the full-scale war in Ukraine.

In particular, in his speech, the First Deputy Director of the IP Office Bohdan Paduchak emphasized that despite the significant efforts of WIPO and its member states in addressing global issues, the aggressive war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine devalues all these achievements and only deepens the existing challenges:

“russia continues to use food as a weapon. As a result of massive attacks since russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Ukraine suffered a reduction in the export potential of its ports by 40%, and approximately 300,000 tons of grain was destroyed. The export of grain cargoes to the countries of Asia, Africa and Europe was reduced by almost
3 million tons per month.

russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy system caused losses of more than 11 bln USD, according to the assessment by the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank”.

Bohdan Paduchak once again called on the international community to continue its policy of Russia’s isolating:

“russia has no right to shape further the international agenda. It was ousted from more than 27 international organizations, and just recently, Russia was not elected to the International Court of Justice for the first time since 1946.”

Ramiz Ramazanov, Counselor, Economic Section, Permanent Mission of Ukraine
to the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva

The statement of Ukraine was supported by the representatives of the following delegations:

• Poland - on behalf of the Regional Group of the Central European and Baltic States;

• Netherlands - on behalf of Group B countries;

• Spain - on behalf of the European Union and its member states.

The issues considered at the Committee session are also important for Ukraine in view of the IP Office's (UANIPIO) performance of NIPA functions, as well as the implementation of projects aimed at supporting the innovation and creative sectors of Ukraine. In particular, the projects jointly with WIPO include the development of a network of Technology and Innovation Support Centers (TISCs), the establishment of the National Intellectual Property Training Center (IP Academy), the establishment of the IP Mediation Center, etc.

Photo: WIPO/flickr.com

Ukraine has every opportunity to become a country with an innovative economy. This requires mechanisms which are currently being developed – in particular, with the support of European partners.

This was discussed by the participants of the “Creating Today a Sustainable IP Platform for Tomorrow” meeting. Namely, the representatives of:

• the EUIPO (the European Union Intellectual Property Office),
• the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine,
• the Ukrainian National Office for Intellectual Property and Innovations (the Ukrainian IP Office / UANIPIO),
• the European IP offices,
• the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine,
• and various stakeholders of the intellectual property industry.

Rémi Duflot, the Deputy Head of the EU Representation in Ukraine, talked about the cooperation between Ukraine and the EU and the future of creative industries after the war.

Vitalii Kindrativ, the Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine, emphasised the importance of the strategy for developing intellectual property in Ukraine and the steps that the Government will take to create innovative, creative entrepreneurship in our country and promote the development of investment attractiveness in Ukraine.

Olena Orliuk, the Director of the Ukrainian IP Office, spoke about the work on developing the Ukrainian innovative and creative sectors, the scientific environment, and the sphere of intellectual property.

The meeting “Creating Today a Sustainable IP Platform for Tomorrow” was held in Kyiv at the end of October.

What international partners talked about in Kyiv on the cooperation with Ukraine, the potential of our IP sphere, and the exchange of experience.

The Ukraine-EU Meeting on Intellectual Property Issues was successfully held in Kyiv. Many international partners came to visit Ukraine. Among these were:

•   the Executive Director of the EUIPO, João Negrão,
•   the Director General of the Estonian Patent Office, Margus Viher,
•   the Director of the Patent Office of the Republic of Latvia, Agris Batalauskis,
•   the President of the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland, Edyta Demby-Siwek,
•   and the Director of the State Patent Bureau of the Republic of Lithuania, Irina Urbonė.

They discussed the importance of cooperation with Ukraine, the potential of the Ukrainian IP sphere, and the exchange of experience. Olena Orliuk, the Director of the Ukrainian IP Office, summarised the discussion with foreign colleagues.

See more about this, as well as the vision of cooperation and partnership of the heads of international IP offices, in the video:

Read more:

Impressed by the heroism of Ukrainians: delegation of EUIPO and European IP Offices visited Bucha and Irpin (video)

Ukraine joined EU’s regional program to support intellectual property

Heads of IP offices in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Moldova on initiatives to support Ukrainian IP sphere