The adaptation of Ukrainian legislation in IP sphere to European Union law (EU acquis) is one of the key tasks of Chapter 7 of the negotiation process for Ukraine’s full membership in the EU. This was the focus of a meeting between the Ukrainian delegation and representatives of the European Commission, which took place on July 9, 2025, on the sidelines of the 66th series of Assemblies of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva.
The European Commission was represented at the meeting by:
The Ukrainian delegation included representatives of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, the Ukrainian National Office for Intellectual Property and Innovations (UANIPIO/IP Office) and the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, namely:
During the meeting, the parties confirmed the high level of political and technical cooperation between Ukraine, the European Commission, and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), particularly within the framework of the EU-funded EU4IP project. They also discussed the next steps following the screening of Ukrainian legislation, which took place in December 2024.
Kamil Kilanski commended Ukraine’s progress and described the intentions to fully align IP legislation as “ambitious and worthy of support”. He also confirmed that, according to a draft report by the European Commission, Ukraine’s legislation is already partially aligned with the EU acquis.
“Our task is not just to harmonize legislation, but to ensure that Ukrainian authors and innovators have access to the same system of support, protection, and commercialization as their colleagues in the EU. Money and opportunities should go to those who create value, not get lost between institutions,” emphasized Oleksandr Tsybort. He expressed his gratitude for the reliable support and close cooperation. This cooperation is extremely important for building the capacity of the national IP system during a very difficult period.
Oleksandr Tsybort (left) and Kamil Kilanski
The head of the Ukrainian delegation also reported on the government’s steps towards digital transformation and further plans for the digitization of intellectual property services, in particular the introduction of artificial intelligence-based tools and improving the resilience and accessibility of electronic services even in wartime.
The Ukrainian delegation provided updated information on key legislative priorities, including:
“Our goal is to make the process of harmonizing IP legislation as transparent and balanced as possible. We take into account the positions of all stakeholders, but we strictly adhere to our commitments to fully align with the EU acquis,” said Bogdan Paduchak.
The Ukrainian delegation also expressed interest in further integration into the European IP infrastructure, in particular:
The Ukrainian delegation also emphasized the importance of recognizing all Ukrainian geographical indications in the EU, summarizing the discussions at the meetings in Brussels in December 2024.
“Ukraine is ready and eager to become a full member of the European IP community. We are already integrated into most processes and look forward to further steps towards formal accession to key institutions and instruments,” emphasized Olena Orliuk.
The Ukrainian side expressed gratitude for the EU’s unwavering support within WIPO, in particular in protecting Ukraine’s territorial integrity, countering russia’s attempts to abuse WIPO systems (in particular through the unjustified introduction of the russian language into international IP systems, the activities of the WIPO external office in moscow, and disinformation) and consolidating support for Ukraine in regional groups.
The meeting participants also discussed possible attempts to counter the registration of IPRs from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine as “russian” on WIPO platforms.
Olena Orliuk emphasized that despite the widespread narrative that “intellectual property is outside politics,” all Ukrainians are suffering from the war. Speaking specifically about UANIPIO, over the past three months, 14 employees have suffered from the effects of russian air strikes in Kyiv, with some having their apartments and property destroyed.
The meeting participants agreed to continue cooperation on harmonizing legislation, implementing EU recommendations, and implementing joint projects in the field of digital transformation, AI in IP administration, and IPRs protection.
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