The IP office and the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine discussed the progress of the IP sector development, the implementation of the European Commission recommendations and the state of bringing national legislation in line with the EU acquis.

Ukraine is making maximum efforts to acquire the status of a member of the EU, and intellectual property is becoming an integral element in achieving this goal. After the confirmation by the European Commission of the good progress of Ukraine in the field of IP, as stated in the Report on the progress of Ukraine within the framework of the 2023 European Union Enlargement Package, it is necessary to continue making visible progress, which will allow the challenging process of joining the EU to be successfully completed.

Prompt and effective implementation of the recommendations of the European Commission for the field of IP, the development of detailed plans and the latest developments became the subject of discussion by representatives of the IP office with Alberto Fernandez-Diez, head of the trade and economic Section of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, and Oksana Popruga, an economic policy specialist of the EU Delegation to Ukraine.

"We understand all the responsibility and complexity of the negotiation process regarding Ukraine's accession to the EU, and we are ready to show even more positive progress in the field of IP. This process can only be facilitated by reliable and consistent communication with the European side regarding each stage of implementing recommendations and bringing national legislation into line with the EU acquis," said Olena Orliuk, Director of the IP office.

"Since the Law of Ukraine "On Copyright and Related Rights" entered into force, the Government of Ukraine has already adopted a number of secondary regulatory legal acts for its implementation. We are clearly formulating and planning our measures for the further approximation of national legislation on copyright in accordance with the EU acquis, but at the same time, we do not forget about its development and improvement even beyond these plans," said the head of the department for the development of the sphere of copyright and related rights of IP office Liubov Maidanyk.

Discussed in detail:

• functioning of collective management organizations and payment of royalties to rights holders;
• further steps to harmonize the legal regulation of industrial property;
• legal protection of IP rights to trade secrets, taking into account the provisions of EU legal acts;
• maximum involvement of all stakeholders in the process of bringing national legislation into compliance with the EU acquis;
• the functioning of the IP Infringement Monitoring Center within the IP Office and steps in the development of cooperation with law enforcement and customs bodies of Ukraine and European partners;
• steps aimed at achieving progress on the issue of establishment of the High IP Court;
• additional measures for the development of the sphere of protection of IP rights and the development of innovations;
• mechanisms for attracting technical assistance to improve the protection and protection of IP rights.

“Despite all the challenges of a full-scale war, we will make every effort to speed up the process of negotiations regarding Ukraine's accession to the EU and support the IP community, our creative and innovative sectors”, stressed Olena Orliuk.

The meeting of representatives of the IP office with the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine took place on January 31, 2024.

02 February 2024