KYIV. June 2 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine will create the national agency for intellectual property as a public organization on the basis of State enterprise Ukrainian Intellectual Property Institute (Ukrpatent) and the State Service of Intellectual Property. The new agency will be subordinated to the Economic Development and Trade Ministry.
“It aims at introducing the two-level intellectual property protection system via the creation of the national agency for intellectual property,” First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv said, presenting the concept for reforming the intellectual property system in the country at a government meeting.
He said that Ukrpatent will be reorganized and the State Service of Intellectual Property will be liquidated.
Kubiv said that the current public management system is inefficient and has failed to develop international partnerships. International partners, in particular, the United States and the European Union, have expressed their views about the state of intellectual property rights protection in Ukraine.
The minister said that the national agency will be financed using fees collected for action linked to intellectual property protection. This is the practice of global patent offices.
He said that the new agency will use the ‘one face to the customer’ approach in issuing intellectual property protection documents. This meets the European practice.
Kubiv added that the concept foresees the reorganization of the collective copyrights management system, improvement of national legislation and its harmonization with EU requirements.
He said that the concept caused large resistance, and it will be a long way to pass on the reformation of this public agency. The Education Ministry, famous Ukrainian and international experts and technical assistance will be used to reform it.
Kubiv did not specify the terms of the creation of the new agency. It is mentioned in the government’s brief on top priorities delivered in May, with completion targeted for the fourth quarter of 2016.
