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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Training programme on licensing intellectual property

Belgrade, 1 November 2005

Serbian Assistant Minister of International Economic Relations Dusko Lopandic said today that Serbia has taken the initial steps towards implementation of the action plan for setting up a system of measures for intellectual property protection.

Dusko Lopandic

Speaking at the opening of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) training programme on intellectual property licensing, Lopandic pointed out that the legislation in this sector is almost rounded off and in line with all the principles of the European Union.

Lopandic said the remaining laws that need passing are on geographical origin labelling and optical discs. He also mentioned that a special law on implementing regulations in the sector of intellectual properties protection is still on the drawing board.

Vice-President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce Radmila Milivojevic said that the aim of this training programme is to assess the best possible ways for using capacities of companies and promoting competitiveness, which is the main indicator of progress and creation of Serbia’s position in Europe and the world.

WIPO’s Intellectual Property Policy and New Technologies Division Director Cynthia Cannady pointed out that this is a pilot programme with priority in the organisation and was started two years ago. She added that the project has been successfully completed in India, Columbia, Cameroon, Brazil and El Salvador, and that its aim is to be adjusted to the needs of a particular country, which is why any suggestions are both desirable and welcomed.

Cannady pointed out that intellectual property plays a considerable role in economic development, and a patent is a kind of monopoly that enables its owners to earn more money.

According to Cannady, the licence gives its owner the right to control the product’s price, demand compensation for its usage, and make decisions on technological revolution. As an example, she mentioned Korea’s Samsung, which was a small firm 20 years ago and has now become one of the most powerful international companies.

She added that intellectual property is a non-material investment, but just as any property, it too can be improved, sold or leased, and yield income to the owner.

The training programme is intended for representatives of scientific and research institutions in private and public sectors, as well as for lawyers and business people from companies and institutions that deal in the development and transfer of technology. The programme aims to provide basic information on intellectual property licensing, basic principles of licensing as a business method, elements of the licensing contract and negotiating techniques.

Apart from the theoretical part, the practical part is based on a hypothetical situation in which participants take an active role through a simulation of the negotiation process and composing of a draft licence contract. The participants will receive a certificate at the end of the programme, which also envisages additional higher-level training.

The training will be conducted by representatives of WIPO, the Licensing Executives Society International (LESI), experts from domestic and foreign companies, and lawyers and patent representatives from Serbia and abroad (Gide Lourette Neuel, Boehmert & Boehmert, Pepeljugoski Law Office and IP Bureau).