NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SYSTEM

       
WIPO-CROATIA SUMMER SCHOOL
ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY  2010.

ANNUAL REPORT 2008

STATISTICAL REPORT ON THE INFRINGEMENTS OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IN CROATIA

NEWS

Final event and presentation of results of the “strenghtening the enforcement of intellectual property rights” project(EU PHARE 2006 programme)

Bilateral documents on cooperation with third countries

    In accordance with the guidelines and measures as laid down in the National Strategy for the Development of the Intellectual Property System of the Republic of Croatia for the period 2010-2012, the text of which was adopted on 1 April 2010 by the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the State Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Croatia has concluded bilateral documents on cooperation with the partner national institutions of Kosovo, Montenegro and Macedonia, desiring to promote further development of cooperation in the field of intellectual property rights, and aiming at improving the appropriate protection of industrial property rights and ensuring the effective use thereof.
    The first such document was concluded between SIPO RC and the Industrial Property Office of the Republic of Kosovo, in Priština, on 16 May 2010, and was followed by the cooperation agreements concluded with the Intellectual Property Office of Montenegro in Podgorica, on 20 April 2010, and the State Industrial Property Office of the Republic of Macedonia, in Skopje, on 21 May 2010.



    These documents include the exchange of information in the field of intellectual property; exchange of experience related to the accession to the EU; exchange and training of staff, including training through specialization programs; joint activities aiming at the definition and realization of the regional interests in the field of intellectual property (lectures, courses, seminars, conferences, exhibitions); possible mutual assistance in the field of enforcement of industrial property rights; and other issues of mutual interests.
    SIPO will continue to strengthen bilateral and regional cooperation in the field of intellectual property thus contributing to the strengthening of the international position and credibility of RC.

 

WIPO Regional roundtable on the management of intellectual property rights in the advertising industry

    Having in mind a direct connection of various promotional activities in the advertising industry with the intellectual property rights, particularly copyright and related rights as well as service marks, industrial designs and geographical designations of origin, the World Intellectual Property Organisation in cooperation with the State intellectual property office organised WIPO Regional roundtable on the management of intellectual property rights in the advertising industry in Zagreb, on 18 and 19 May 2010.
    This occasion was particularly propitious to gain an insight into the latest developments in this propulsive area, on the grounds of knowledge and experience of the eminent international and Croatian experts.
    WIPO expert Mr Dimiter Gantchev and Vladimir Yossifov PhD informed the participants of the role and challenges of the advertising industry in the global creative economy and of identifying intellectual property rights in the advertising industry.
    Mr Jurij Žurej, PhD director to the Intellectual property office of the Republic of Slovenia spoke about the current situation of the advertising industry in Croatia and the region. Jelena Radojević LLB of the Intellectual property office of the Republic of Serbia spoke about the protection of copyright and related rights and the relevant case studies.
    The participants were also given a lecture by MBA Željko Topić, director general to the Office on developments of the national intellectual property system and the way forward.
    Lectures were also delivered by Martin Bader PhD of Saint Gallen University in Switzerland, Mrs Romana Matanovac Vučković, LLB of the Faculty of Law in Zagreb, Mladen Vukmir LLM, a member to the Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance, Ana Rački Marinković LLM, assistant director general and Mr Kamilo Antolović, a representative of the Trade association for market communication.
    In addition to the delivered lectures and presentations, the participants in this roundtable received each an integral printed Manual on the management of intellectual property rights in the advertising industry.

 

A notice on the governmental decision concerning the publication of the Rules relating to fees with regard to the European Patent Convention(EPC) and the Act on the amendments to the Rules relating to fees to the EPC

    Thereby we inform the clients that by virtue of Article 32 to the Law on the conclusion and implementation of international agreements the Government of the Republic of Croatia at its session held on 24 March 2010 adopted a decision to publish the Rules relating to fees with regard to the EPC and the Act on the amendments to the Rules relating to fees to the EPC
    This decision was published in Narodne novine-Međunarodni ugovori/Official Gazette-International Agreements No 3/2010 of 21 May 2010.

 

WIPO Seminar on the Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs

    A Seminar on the Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs organised by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) shall be held on 9 June 2010 in Geneva, Switzerland.
    More details are available at the WIPO web site:
http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/details.jsp?meeting_id=20204

 

Exhibition displayed by the Association for Industrial Design opened in the Centre for Design

    The Centre for Design at the Croatian chamber of economy, Zagreb organised an exhibition on 4 May 2010 and presented a brochure of the Association for Industrial Design.





    A survey of designers' works who are members to the above Association and the positive cooperation of designers with the business entities are covered by this exhibition and the mentioned publication.
    The State intellectual property office (SIPO) was invited to this exhibition and presented a brochure „Looking good“ at the opening ceremony. This brochure is a manual published by SIPO for the purpose of awareness rising of small and medium businesses and professional community with the characteristics of industrial designs, their protection and benefits for business operations.
    The brochures „Looking good“, are available to the visitors of this exhibition, which is open until 11 June 2010 in the premises of the Centre for Design, Draškovićeva 45, Zagreb.

 

Delegates of the regional TAIEX conference on a visit to the Office

    In the framework of the regional TAIEX conference on the connection of crime with intellectual property, entitled: Public health and organised crime, organised by the European Commission was held on 29 April 2010. The Office was visited by a group of 15 participants in this conference from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Albania and Turkey - the representatives of institutions competent for intellectual property and infringements of intellectual property rights.
    M.sc. Ljiljana Kuterovac, deputy director general informed the participants about the National system for the implementation of intellectual property rights, and Mr Michael Poulsen, senior adviser of the Danish patent and trademark office, about the PHARE project: Strengthening the implementation of intellectual property rights, in the framework of which the implementing system was developed.
    The guests also visited the information centre of the Office INCENTIV, where they were informed about the activities of the centre by which the general public is informed and becomes aware of the infringements of intellectual property rights, what is achieved by implementing the protection of intellectual property rights and why it is so important.

 

World Intellectual Property Day 26 April 2010

    On the occasion of celebrating the World Intellectual Property Day, the State intellectual property office (SIPO) is inviting general public to visit our information centre INCENTIV, where they can get customary services, i.e. professional information on the protection and use of intellectual property rights and data base searches on industrial property; moreover they can find information on the implementation of intellectual property rights in the Republic of Croatia and learn about the infringements of intellectual property rights and their impact on the general public.
    On the occasion of the World Intellectual Property Day several promotional videos of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) were broadcasted, as well as an anti-piracy video:”Piracy is criminal”, prepared in cooperation with the State intellectual property office and a branch office and a regional representation of the APAW and BSA organisations.
    The Office in cooperation with the editorial board of the newspaper “Novi list” published on 26 April 2010 an informative and instructive separate on the protection and implementation of intellectual property rights.

 

The first meeting of the Coordinating Committee for the implementation of intellectual property rights

    The first meeting of the Coordinating Committee for the implementation of intellectual property rights (hereinafter CCII) was held on 14 April 2010 in the premises of the State intellectual property office.
    The meeting was attended by the representatives of the State intellectual property office, the State attorney's office of the Republic of Croatia, the Ministry of agriculture, fishery and rural development, the State inspectorate, the Customs administration, Central office, the Croatian food agency, and the Agency for medicines and medicinal products.
    Ms Ljiljana Kuterovac, deputy director general to SIPO and chairwoman to CCII, at this meeting emphasised the importance to protect and effectively implement intellectual property rights. She pointed out global increase in counterfeit goods worldwide (medicinal products, vehicle spare parts and similar) and the significance to protect public interests primarily reflecting in public health protection and security of citizens, but also in hampering the negative effects on the entire economy.
    The technical aid project of the EU PHARE 2006 “Strengthening the implementation of intellectual property rights”, which is in progress, is precisely dedicated mostly to the enhancement of cooperation and coordination of operations by the competent bodies for the implementation of intellectual property rights in the Republic of Croatia. Consequently, a permanent mechanism shall be established for coordinating operations and activities for the implementation of intellectual property rights active on several levels, and as set by the National strategy for the development of intellectual property system of the Republic of Croatia for the period from 2010-2012 – Action plan for the period from 2010-2012.
    A comprehensive cooperation model for the implementation of intellectual property rights was presented at this meeting, the composition, scope and method of operation of the coordinating committees. The recommendations were provided for conventions of constitutive meetings of the joint operative groups for the implementation of intellectual property rights, groups to cooperate with intellectual property right holders, and two working groups responsible for the issues of implementing intellectual property rights.

 

The first Trade Policy Review of the Republic of Croatia presented at the World Trade Organisation (WTO)

    The first Trade Policy Review (TRP) of the Republic of Croatia was presented at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva on 24 and 26 March 2010. Head of the Croatian delegation was Mr Đuro Popijač, minister of economy accompanied by Mrs Nataša Vujec, state secretary to the Ministry of the Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship, and as a representative of the SIPO Ms Ljiljana Kuterovac deputy director general.
    Namely, the Republic of Croatia as a member country to WTO has commitments to examine its trade related policies at regular intervals. The trade related control mechanism enables the examination and evaluation of the member countries’ trade and related policies at regular intervals and their impact on the global trading system, and provides detailed report of the national trade policy of each country member to WTO.
    The Trade Policy Review also includes the field of intellectual property (Chapter: Trade policy, the measures and practice). The Office in cooperation with the Ministry of the Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship, as a proponent of the report, actively participated in preparing the texts on intellectual property.
    The Trade Policy of the Republic of Croatia was of interest to a large number of the most significant economic countries (such as the USA, the European Union, China, India, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Korea, Japan). The majority of statements by the WTO members acknowledged that important progress has taken place since Croatia acceded to the WTO in 2000 and emphasized that Croatia has a developed and open market economy well integrated in the international economic system.
    The intellectual property field was mentioned in the statements by the EU, the USA and the conclusions by the chairperson, H.E. the Ambassador to Hungary Istvan Major, that in addition to the acknowledged development in Croatia so far, the continuation of strengthening of its administrative capacity in the field of intellectual property is an impetus.
    For more information on TPR-Croatia please visit the WTO web page:
(http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tpr_e/tp327_e.htm)

 

WIPO-Croatia Summer School on Intellectual Property in Dubrovnik, Croatia, May 31 to June 11, 2010

    The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is organizing two-week Summer School on Intellectual Property (Summer School), jointly with the State Intellectual Property Organization (SIPO), Croatia, and the University of Dubrovnik from May 31 to June 11, 2010.
    The Summer School offers an invaluable education program in the whole area of intellectual property (IP). Thirty places will be made available for senior students (graduate and postgraduate students) and young professionals from any field of study or discipline.
    You may register for the 2010 WIPO-Croatia Summer School on IP from January 26 to March 31, 2010.
    More about Summer School...
 
 

Croatian higher officials of intellectual property rights implementation authorities on a study visit to the peer Danish institutions, Copenhagen, 6-8 September, 2009

   

    The Croatian state administration in cooperation with the Danish state administration has been currently implementing a twinning project, financed by the EU, called: “Strengthening the implementation of intellectual property rights“, with the objective to further develop the system of intellectual property implementation in Croatia.
    One of the significant objectives to this project is the establishment of an effective cooperation and coordination mechanism between the Croatian authorities competent for the implementation of intellectual property rights. Such an objective requires the integration of appropriate high level administration authorities of the relevant Croatian institutions.
    Consequently, within the limits of the project implementation, a study visit was organised to Denmark of the Croatian officials at the high level of administration, which will be followed by a return visit to Croatia by the Danish peers. The purpose of such visits is primarily to provide the Croatian part with an insight to inter-institutional cooperation in Denmark, and give the opportunity to exchange experience with the Danish peers at the appropriate level of administration.
    The delegates of the Croatian delegation were: Mrs. Marina Dujmović-Vučković, state secretary to the Ministry of Justice, Mr. Dragan Novosel, deputy to the State attorney general, Mr. Božo Barbarić, head of the National police office for preventing corruption and organised crime, Mr. Krešimir Sikavica, head of Department for economic crimes and corruption, Mr. Andrej Franulović, assistant director to Customs administration, Mr. Ninoslav Babić, Department for intellectual property protection, Mrs. Božena Vrbanić, deputy to Inspector general, Mrs. Ljiljana Kuterovac, deputy to general director of the State Intellectual Property Office and Mrs. Katja Šare, secretary to General director’s office.
    In the course of this visit a programme was organised to present the Danish patent and trademark office, as well as the Danish model of inter-institutional cooperation concerning the implementation of intellectual property rights. In the second part of the programme bilateral meetings were organised between the peer Croatian and Danish partners, and the visits to relevant Danish institutions.

 

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