RIA Novosti

May 30, 2001

A Seminar on Protection of Well-Known Trademarks in Russia Will Take Place in Moscow

MOSCOW, 30 May. /RIA Novosti Reporter/. A briefing on the Protection of Well-Known Trademarks in Russia took place Wednesday in Moscow, organized by the Russian Patent and Trademark Agency (Rospatent) and the Coalition for Intellectual Property Rights.

According to RIA Novosti reporter, General Director of Rospatent, Mr. Alexander Korchagin said that the main task of the briefing, and for a subsequent one planned for June 14, is to clarify the changes in the trademark law for the owners of trademarks. In particular, this concerns the rules on the recognition of trademarks as well-known in the Russian Federation. The government considered theses amendments to the law on May 18 and then submitted them to the State Duma of the Russian Federation. The adoption of the draft law is expected by the end of this year so that it could take effect in 2002.

According to Mr. Korchagin, "our program to prepare the public for the law's entering into force has already started…We will be providing explanations, because the law contains a number of new significant regulations concerning the registration and protection of trademarks." A book to explain the new rules will be published by the end of this year.

According to the President of the Coalition for Intellectual Property Rights, Mr. Peter. B. Necarsulmer, "the successful protection of intellectual property rights can be provided only with cooperation between government and business." As he mentioned, the Coalition and other international organizations are trying to convince state authorities to accelerate change in this area, and to bring Russian legislation into compliance with international standards.

The Coalition's president believes that approval of the new regulations on the recognition of well-known trademarks is a very important step forward not only for Russia but for the whole world.