The scale of the damage and the estimated cost of Ukraine’s recovery are colossal. Although the Report of the Secretariat of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on assistance and support for Ukraine’s innovative and creative sectors, as well as the functioning of the IP ecosystem in wartime (document A/66/8) contains valuable insights into the path to recovery, it only offers a brief overview of the immense suffering and destruction caused by the russian federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
This was emphasized by the Ukrainian delegation during the discussion of item 20 on the agenda of the 66th series of meetings of the Assemblies of Member States of WIPO, which took place from July 8 to 17 in Geneva (Switzerland). This item was devoted to assistance and support for Ukraine’s innovation and creativity sector and intellectual property system. The agenda item was presented by Director General Daren Tang, and the structure of the content and key conclusions of the report were presented by Habip Asan, Director of the WIPO Transition and Developed Countries Division (TDC).
Olena Orliuk, Director of the Ukrainian National Office for Intellectual Property and Innovations (UANIPIO/IP Office), delivered a statement on behalf of Ukraine. First of all, she expressed her gratitude to Daren Tang for presenting the report, and for continued leadership and commitment to supporting Ukraine’s innovation, creativity, and IP sectors.
The Ukrainian delegation also thanked Deputy Director General Hassan Kleib, Habip Asan, and the entire TDC Division for their important support, as well as all WIPO units, involved in the preparation of the report and provided concrete assistance to the Ukrainian IP system.
Special thanks were extended to Member States for their solidarity and support for the decisions taken in previous years. As the Ukrainian delegation emphasized, that collective actions played a critical role in helping Ukraine protect and sustain its innovation and IP ecosystem under the most severe and challenging conditions.
As was emphasized during the opening of General Assembly, the extent of the damage and the estimated cost of Ukraine’s recovery are colossal, Olena Orliuk noted. The impact of the war are daily and devastating. In recent months, russia has intensified its aerial attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. Dozens of civilians, including children, have been killed or wounded. Critical infrastructure, homes, cultural landmarks, and administrative buildings, including those linked to the Ukrainian IP system, have been destroyed or damaged.
According to the Ukrainian delegation, colleagues from the Ukrainian IP office, UANIPIO, have also suffered devastating consequences. Recent air strikes have damaged the homes and property of 15 employees. These are not isolated cases – they are the daily reality faced by all creators, inventors, and entrepreneurs throughout Ukraine.
According to Olena Orliuk, a total of about 230,000 civilian infrastructure facilities have been damaged or destroyed. More than 300,000 homes are gone. More than 2,200 cultural sites have been destroyed or damaged: museums, theaters, libraries. And about 7 million cultural objects have been lost, looted, or remain trapped in the occupied territory.
Despite all this, Ukraine perseveres.
Together with the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, UANIPIO continues its work, in particular, finalizing the development of a comprehensive National IP Strategy. This roadmap is designed to help overcome challenges and ensure recovery. The strategy has been prepared in close cooperation with WIPO experts, and Ukraine deeply appreciates this contribution. Public consultations will begin in the near future, and Olena Orliuk has invited all interested parties to join in further collaborative efforts.
“The resilience of the IP system in Ukraine is also demonstrated by an expanding service portfolio and operations of the Ukrainian IP Office. We have now expanded the TISC network to include more than 50 centres across Ukraine, including regions that have been heavily affected by the russian federation war of aggression against Ukraine. We also collaborated closely with academic and research institutions to develop their internal IP policies using the WIPO methodology. Through targeted programs, we are directing IP to where it saves lives and builds futures. Sector-specific initiatives such as “Lab2Market UA: Veterano” and “Medtech” open up inclusive innovation pathways for veterans, scientists and volunteers”, emphasized Director of the IP office.
In the creative sector, the Ukrainian IP Office provides guidance to creators, outreach programs and has established a creative industries support unit that offers daily consultations.
In cooperation with the Kyiv region authorities, a pilot reimbursement program has been launched to recover the IP-related expenses for SMEs. The program has been proven successful, and UANIPIO is working to prepare to expand it to other war-affected regions.
The Ukrainian delegation called on WIPO member states to join these efforts by supporting Ukrainian applicants and businesses within their jurisdictions or by offering targeted support to build Ukraine’s IP capacity.
“Every Ukrainian trademark registered, every patent granted, every creative work protected – is not only an act of economic resilience but an act of defiance in the face of aggression”, emphasized Olena Orliuk. She called on delegates to become active supporters of these efforts and to stand together with Ukraine, on the battlefield of freedom, creativity, and democratic values.
A separate section of the statement was devoted to the systematic misuse of the WIPO-administered systems by the russian federation.
The Ukrainian delegation emphasized: despite the decision of the General Assembly in 2024, to uphold the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, at least three international applications under the Madrid system have already been published since its adoption, in which addresses in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine are indicated as addresses as if they were part of the russian federation.
“These applications – filed even after the adoption of the 2024 General Assembly decision – demonstrate clearly that the current disclaimer-based safeguard is ineffective and does nothing to prevent systematic abuse”, said the Director of UANIPIO.
Ukraine recognized the steps taken by WIPO in response to the General Assembly mandate, but noted that they fell short of what is required. WIPO must act decisively and transparently to restore the integrity of its systems without further delay.
“This is not merely a technical issue. It is a profound institutional test for the entire international IP community – a test of our collective ability to uphold the principles of international law and our commitments under the UN Charter”, emphasized Olena Orliuk.
The Ukrainian delegation called on the International Bureau of WIPO to strengthen technical measures to ensure compliance for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. This can and must be achieved through the development and deploying technical solutions that prevent misrepresentation of applicant addresses and block any applications that highlight the misappropriation of Ukrainian territories.
“WIPO has the necessary legal basis and institutional responsibility to consistently uphold these principles. Upholding Ukraine’s territorial integrity is not optional – it is a matter of international law and a critical benchmark for WIPO’s credibility as a UN agency responsible for administering global IP systems”, resumed Olena Orliuk.
In conclusion, the Ukrainian delegation reiterated its call for an effective and decisive response to russia’s actions, which consists of:
Ukraine called on all member states to support these measures and reaffirm their common commitment to freedom, international law and dignity.
Members of the Ukrainian delegation to the 66th series of meetings of the Assemblies of WIPO Member States:
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