The first session of the forum focused on changes in the IP sphere, which are very important even in the paradigm of martial law.
Within the framework of the III National Forum on Intellectual Property and Innovations – IP LET FORUM “INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: LAW, ECONOMY, TECHNOLOGY”, the first session “IP Integration Processes: Getting Closer to the EU” was held.
The discussion focused on the following key issues:
You can watch the full session and speakers’ speeches on the IP Office’s YouTube channel:
The discussion was moderated by Bogdan Paduchak, First Deputy Director of the UANIPIO (IP Office). He emphasized the relevance of the session, as in a few days the screening of the compliance of Ukrainian legislation with EU law under the negotiated Chapter 7 “Intellectual Property Law” will take place in Brussels.
Bogdan Paduchak
“ Ukrainian delegation will present to the European Commission the extent to which the intellectual property sphere is integrated with the EU legislation. Based on the results of the screening, the entire layer of legislative work in the field of intellectual property for the coming years will be outlined. The changes will affect all specialized laws,” – noted Bogdan Paduchak.
Olena Kovalska
Olena Kovalska, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, joined the discussion. She emphasized that the IP sphere directly intersects with the issues of national culture, its preservation, development and integration into the global context:
“Russia is primarily fighting against Ukrainian identity, appropriating our tangible and intangible cultural heritage. As of mid-November 2024, 2109 cultural infrastructure objects have been damaged or destroyed, including:
That is why it is so important for us to take care of both the line of defense ensuring that we have something to defend and protect in future. Therefore, the primary challenge for national culture in the process of European integration is to preserve its identity. Ukraine must find a balance between adapting to European standards and preserving its uniqueness.”
Alberto Fernández-Díez
Among the other participants of the session was Alberto Fernández-Díez, Head of Trade and Economic Section, EU Delegation to Ukraine. In particular, he spoke about the importance of IP in the process of negotiations between Ukraine and the EU:
“Intellectual property is a key part of the European Union’s internal market. In particular, Chapter 7 of the 2nd Cluster of the Acquis communautaire. A strong IP environment can bring many benefits. In particular, it can help attract investment to Ukraine, as intellectual property protection guarantees a fair playing field for companies wishing to invest or sell products here. I believe that Ukraine’s integration will also make the EU stronger, as together we will convey to the world the message of the importance of cooperation in a global environment based on common rules”.
Roman Babiy
Roman Babiy, Head of the Sub-Committee on execution of the European Court of Human Rights judgments and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, Verkhovna Rada Committee on Legal Policy, also took part in the discussion. He focused on the main tasks currently facing the Parliament, strategic initiatives that will require significant changes to specialized IP laws:
“Intellectual property is a strategic tool for attracting and protecting investments, stimulating creative industries, and protecting national interests. We all understand that it is through investment that we will be able to rebuild the economy after this devastating war. In this context, the main tasks of the Verkhovna Rada are to ensure the sustainable functioning of the state and laws aimed primarily at ensuring defense capability, supporting the economy and integration into the European legal framework. The level of intellectual property protection determines the level of investment attractiveness. Therefore, when we talk about integration processes, we must understand that these changes are not for the purpose of change, but are necessary first and foremost for ourselves, and joining the EU should be a necessary bonus on this path.”
Dmytro Huziy
Another participant of the first session was Dmytro Huziy, Acting Head of the Intellectual Property and Innovations Department of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine. In particular, he spoke about the importance of further professional dialog with the EU, taking into account the current economic environment and the positions of individual industries.
“We are talking about standards that are quite civilized, because they were created in the process of a powerful EU economy. And we must strive for these standards. Based on the results of the screening, we saw that we are synchronized with the European Union at the level of basic approaches. I hope that we will continue to have an even more productive and professional dialog. We understand our industries, our path and our challenges. That is why we do not seek changes for the change, but changes tailored to the tasks we want to solve”.
Olena Orliuk
Summarizing the discussion, Olena Orliuk, Director of the Ukrainian IP Office, took the floor:
“Very soon in Brussels, during the screening meetings, our sphere will present itself for two days: 25 separate presentations, about 1000 pages of concordance tables, about 30 EU acts that have been evaluated, English translations of 21 laws and regulations of Ukraine. The two mock sessions were held before in order to better understand what the Ukrainian delegation should emphasize and to identify inconsistencies in the IP sphere and ways to resolve them.
The clear position of the EU and our partners is that all changes should be made before Ukraine joins the EU. So we have a lot of teamwork ahead, a lot of professional cooperation. We face a huge amount of regulatory work and a significant increase in the efficiency of law enforcement.
As part of this work, we have two key challenges:
First, we need to work directly with innovators and creators, science and education. And this is not just for the statistics’ sake, but to enable Ukrainian businesses to enter our and EU markets.
The second challenge is the rather limited time to introduce legislative changes, as this is a very sensitive market instrument that is largely used by foreign investors to make decisions on investing in our economy.
A separate area we focus on is the development of IP culture. We have to work on this every day, all together, to ensure that intellectual property is being generated in Ukraine.”
For more information:
The National Forum on Intellectual Property and Innovations – IP LET FORUM “INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: LAW, ECONOMY, TECHNOLOGY” was held for the third time and brought together the main stakeholders in the field of intellectual property: representatives of the legislative, executive and judicial authorities of Ukraine, specialists in the field of IP, law and economics, business, creative and innovative industries, specialized associations, international and national experts, scientists, inventors, creators, craftsmen and all others interested in IP issues.
IP LET FORUM 2024 was organized by the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and the IP Office. The event was held in the framework of cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
Media partners: Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UCCI), Ukrainian Bar Association (UBA), National Association of Patent Attorneys of Ukraine (NAPA), Ukrainian Alliance Against Counterfeiting and Piracy (UAACP). Media support for the forum is provided by LIGA 360, The Page, Speka, Yurydychna Praktyka and Yurydychna Gazeta.
The IP LET FORUM 2024 was streamed online on the YouTube channel of the IP Office.
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