Joint WIPO-Sakpatenti Webinar on the System of International Protection of Inventions was Held

The National Webinar: “Understanding the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) System: National Webinar for Georgian Applicants” was held, organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in cooperation with the National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia – “Sakpatenti”.

The Webinar was opened by Mr. Soso Giorgadze, Chairman of Sakpatenti. He noted that in the modern economic environment intellectual property represents one of the major mechanisms from the viewpoint of protection of innovations, commercialization of technologies and bringing them to global markets. According to the Chairman’s assessment, a powerful IP system creates an environment where creators, inventors and startups are sure that their intellectual work and ideas will be properly valued and protected. Mr. Soso Giorgadze expressed gratitude to the representatives of WIPO, experts and persons participating in the webinar for cooperation.

He noted that for young Georgian inventors it is significant to protect intellectual property correctly, which will facilitate international technological success of their inventions. 

The objective of the webinar is to introduce to Georgian inventors, applicants and other interested parties the PCT system, which allows authors to seek protection for inventions in multiple countries through a single application. This system considerably simplifies filing of international patent applications, reduces administrative barriers, ensures deferral of expenses and increases the procedural efficiency.

Mr. Habip Asan, Director of the Division for Transition and Developed Countries (TDC), WIPO, addressed the webinar participants. The moderator of the webinar was Mr. Emil Hasanov, Senior Program Officer, Section for Central European and Baltic States and Mediterranean Countries (CEBSMC), WIPO. On the part of Sakpatenti,  Ms. Mery Macharashvili, Head of the Department of Inventions, New Varieties and Breeds, spoke about the Role of Sakpatenti under the PCT. At the webinar, presentations  were also delivered by WIPO experts Ms. Olga Krysanova, Ms. Emma Francis, and Ms. Jiao Mo. 

During the event various aspects of the PCT system were discussed, such as: the national and international phases for consideration of applications under the PCT; the role of the Receiving Office and the International Bureau in the consideration of an application, WIPO Standard ST.26 and use of WIPO Sequence Suite. The attendees got acquainted with the functionals and possibilities of the electronic platform – ePCT, which is used for filing and managing applications. 

The webinar was ended with a Q&A Session and the participants had an opportunity to ask specific questions and receive recommendations. The event was attended by up to 100 participants, including representatives of scientific-research institutions, inventors and students.

It is significant that WIPO systematically delivers webinars about the PCT system. Webinars of such a type and format are intended not only staff members of intellectual property offices and inventors, but also for startups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), universities, students, researchers and other interested parties. 

It is noteworthy that the initiative is based on an long-term international cooperation framework, which is the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) itself. It was adopted in 1970 and it currently has 158 contacting states, including Georgia, which joined the PCT system in 1991.