The main accomplishment of the EAPO Administrative Council was the approval of a strategically important document – the Organization’s Development Program until 2028. The Administrative Council participants believe that the adopted document will have a favorable impact on the pace of Eurasian integration.

“The adoption of the document plays an important role for the Office. We would like to thank the Plenipotentiary Representatives for their support of the document as a whole and for their active participation in completing a number of key points. I am confident that the adoption of this strategic document will be a favorable basis not only for the development of integration but also, generally, for the innovative development of our countries and will have a favorable impact on all areas of EAPO activities, from the number of Eurasian applications and granted patents to the quality and terms of examination” , highlighted EAPO President Grigory Ivliev.

The document includes eight main objectives. Improving the quality standards of the Office’s products and services, which implies the implementation of a two-tiered quality system; conducting research; promoting the regional patent system; and constant professional development of the EAPO exmaniners are among them.

The formation of a common Eurasian information and examination space will be continued to harmonize approaches used when granting patent protection and the cooperation between regional and national patent systems to improve the effectiveness and reliability of legal protection procedures, data exchange, and patent information. The Program, among other things, provides for the creation of a search and examination information exchange system (a common dossier system).

The digitalization of the EAPO, which includes the implementation of modern analytical approaches using big data technologies, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud computing, and distributed registries, is an important issue in the Program.

The Program aims to strengthen the EAPO’s positions in the Eurasian region and on the international level, including the involvement of new potential Member States of the Eurasia system. It provides for the elaboration of the possible expansion of the range of objects protected within the framework of the Eurasian patent system, which will enable right holders to obtain legal protection of their technologies, solutions, and goods under the package principle. The parties intend to develop a Eurasian dispute resolution system, which should be centralized.

The existing EAPO pharmaceutical register is planned to become the basis for the establishment of the Eurasian Pharmaceutical Register. Information from the Eurasian Pharmaceutical Register will be taken into account by the authorized state and judicial bodies of the Organization Member States when registering medicines, issuing permits for their introduction to the market, and resolving disputes about violations of rights in relevant patents.

In order to develop the regional and national systems of legal protection in the EAPO Member States, it is planned to expand educational projects of the Office and promote national technoparks, which seek to actively use the potential of the regional system of intellectual property protection. All these measures will contribute to increasing patent activity in the Eurasian region and stimulate integration processes in the Eurasian space.

“The Program addresses all aspects of regional intellectual property development in the region. Undoubtedly, the approval of the document will accelerate the process of Eurasian integration. Rospatent intends to continue active work in such areas as digitalization, personnel training, formation of the Eurasian Pharmaceutical Register, and the development of information exchange between the national offices”, commented the Head of Rospatent, Yury Zubov, on the adoption of the Program in the Russian Patent Office telegram channel.