As part of the 66th series of meetings of the Assemblies of Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, a meeting was held between the Ukrainian delegation and WIPO representatives: Assistant Director General Marco Alemán, Senior Advisor Enayet Mowla, and Project Officer for the CEBS and Mediterranean Countries Section of the Transitional and Developed Economies Division Mihaela Cerbari Simmons.
The meeting confirmed the stability of the partnership between Ukraine and WIPO and the mutual commitment to deepen cooperation in the areas of innovation, technology transfer, business development, and dispute resolution.
On the Ukrainian side, the meeting was attended by 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:
The Ukrainian side reported on the finalization of the draft National IP Strategy, developed in close cooperation with WIPO, as well as on further plans for the consideration, adoption, and implementation of the document.
The head of the Ukrainian delegation, Oleksandr Tsybort, thanked WIPO for its reliable support and close cooperation. He also spoke about government initiatives on digital transformation and plans for further digitization of the IP system in Ukraine.
“The national IP strategy is not just a vision, but a concrete roadmap. We want intellectual property to work for universities, businesses, artists, and innovators. We want courts, mediation, and arbitration to be accessible. We want regional centres to know how to help. WIPO’s support is critical here, and we are counting on it not only in the development but also in the implementation of all changes,” emphasized Oleksandr Tsybort.
Marco Alemán and Oleksandr Tsybort
Director of the IP Office thanked WIPO for maintaining access to global resources, in particular the ASPI and ARDI programs, which remain extremely important for scientists, universities, and businesses operating under martial law.
“These databases are crucial for the quality of patent examination in Ukraine. We hope that this program will continue after 2025,” said Olena Orliuk.
Special attention is paid to the development of the Technology and Innovation Support Centers (TISC) network – as of the end of 2024, there were 46 such centers operating in Ukraine. New centers were established at chambers of commerce, universities, and public institutions, particularly in regions affected by russian aggression. These centers play an important role in our innovation ecosystem and regional development.
In addition, it was discussed that UANIPIO experts:
The launch of a pilot compensating programs to reimburse SMEs and sole proprietors in the Kyiv region expenses related to the protection of IPRs was also noted—the Ukrainian equivalent of the EUIPO SME Fund.
WIPO representatives noted the close cooperation between the WIPO Judicial Institute and the judicial authorities of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian delegation expressed interest in developing alternative dispute resolution methods, in particular by deepening cooperation with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center.
“The Mediation Center, which operates under the Ukrainian IP Office, has created a case simulation involving the IP mediation process, launched a discussion club with the professional community of IP mediators, and conducted the first successful mediation between an agricultural enterprise and a creative agency. We see great potential in this area and hope to deepen our partnership with WIPO”, noted Vladyslav Bilotskyi.
Oleksandr Tsybort initiated a discussion on the launch of the High IP Court in Ukraine. The participants agreed that specialized jurisdiction is a key element in ensuring adequate protection of the rights of creators, inventors, businesses, and all those who generate intellectual property.
Read also:
No Comments