The Ukrainian IP office intends to cooperate widely with international and regional organizations, associations, and national IP offices in Europe and worldwide. Dialogues have already started with European colleagues and with WIPO. This was emphasized by Olena Orliuk, Head of the IP office, during a meeting with representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine.
"We have started active cooperation with international and European organizations in the IP sphere. We are starting a dialogue with national patent offices or IP offices of European countries and the world. We are happy to join the dialogue with international associations. Such international cooperation will be one of the defining directions for us because we understand that IP is a global story that cannot be closed by borders. On the contrary, in Ukraine, we have to build that culture, that policy, and those inherent foundations on which the civilized world works," the Head of the IP office emphasized.
Regarding the current tasks, work with WIPO regarding the confirmation of the status of the International Searching Authority for the Ukrainian IP office is currently ongoing.
"We have renewed dialogue with WIPO, including international registrations via Madrid, PCT, and the WIPO Academy. Dialogue is currently underway with WIPO regarding the possibility of temporarily extending the IP office's performance of ISA/IPEA functions. In cooperation with them, we will prepare documents for the General Assembly, which will be held this summer, to confirm the ISA/IPEA status for our IP office in Ukraine," Olena Orliuk detailed.
The IP office team talked about implementing the institutional component of the IP reform in Ukraine, strategic plans, and current activities of the office.
"Actually, in just one month (since the protection documents began to be issued in January), we had 1,827 registrations, including 1,350 trademark registrations. Now we are also seeing a gradual increase in the number of applications. This shows that business in Ukraine continues to work despite extremely difficult conditions. For us, the key aspects in the work of the IP office are the improvement of examination and the acceleration of deadlines, the constant improvement of the qualifications of examiners, digital transformation, as well as an active role in developing the process and mechanisms for the IPR protection and raising the level of culture in IP sphere as a whole. We are talking about the IP office development based on transparency and zero tolerance for corruption. The work of the IP office will develop exclusively in the format of a constant dialogue with business, the IP community, creative industries, and the innovation environment. It is not simply a matter of rebuilding a high-quality state service. This is about what role our IP office sees in developing Ukraine as an innovative country where IP and innovation cannot be separated," the Head of the IP office emphasized.
Normative and legal work was also discussed at the meeting. This is, first of all, the updating of information about the legal acts of the European Union, which require implementation into the Ukrainian legislation, revision of methodological rules for drawing up and submitting applications for relevant objects, taking into account the relevant acts of the European Union.
The IP office team suggested holding such meetings more often. After all, dialogues with the international environment, as well as with professional communities and business, help to develop the IP sphere and promptly respond to its challenges.
