Statute of the Structural Divisions of Sakpatenti

Order N18

07.07.2010

On the Approval of the Statute of the Structural Divisions of the Legal Entity of Public Law –

National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia ,,Sakpatenti”

In accordance with Article 6, par. 2(g) and (d) of the Statute approved by the Decree No 181 of 3 July 2010 of the Government of Georgia “On the Approval of the Statute of the Legal Entity of Public Law – National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia “Sakpatenti”,

I hereby order:

1. Statute of the Structural Divisions of the Legal Entity of Public Law – National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia “Sakpatenti” attached hereby shall be approved.

2. This Order enters into force once acknowledged officially.

3. This Order may be appealed within one month in Tbilisi City Court (address: No. 6, Aghmashenebeli Embankment 12th km, Tbilisi).

Chairman Nikoloz Gogilidze

Sent to: Administrative Department, Department of Inventions, Design and New Varieties and Breeds, Department of Trademarks and Geographical Indications, Legal and Copyright Law Department, Financial Department, International Affairs and Project Management Division, Public Relations and Mass Media Section.

 

Approved by

Sakpatenti Chairman

Decision No 18

7 July 2010

Statute of the Structural Divisions of the Legal Entity of Public Law – National

Intellectual Property Center of Georgia ,,Sakpatenti”

 

Chapter I

General Provisions

 

 Article 1. Scope

Statute of the Structural Divisions (hereinafter: Statute) of the Legal Entity of Public Law – National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia “Sakpatenti” ((hereinafter: Sakpatenti) defines structure, organization of activity, principles of work, rights and obligations, major functions and legal grounds for the structural divisions of Sakpatenti (hereinafter: structural divisions).

Article 2. Legal grounds for operation of structural divisions 

Structural divisions abide by the Constitution of Georgia, international treaties and agreements of Georgia, Statute of Sakpatenti, legal acts of Sakpatenti Chairman (hereinafter: Chairman), this Statute and other legislative and normative acts of Georgia in performance of their activities.

Article 3. Competence of the structural divisions

1. Structural divisions, in the scope of their competence, are authorized to:

 a) Raise issues related to its activity for consideration at consultative meetings n agreement with Chairman or Deputy Chairman;

 b) Request and obtain information and other documents defined by law from structural divisions, pursuant to applicable rules set by law;

 c) Take part in the work of temporary or permanent commissions established at Sakpatenti;

 d) Prepare decisions with regard to legal acts and other matters;

 e) Present proposals to Sakpatenti leadership on development of draft legal acts;

 f) In performance of designated tasks, in a manner prescribed by law, establish business relations and cooperate with corresponding structural divisions of the Parliament of Georgia, Administration of the President, Government Chancellery, Ministries, other entities, local governments, as well as international organizations and foreign states;

 g) Pursuant to Chairman’s orders, work independently or together with other structural division(s) of Sakpatenti in preparation of specific matters;

 h) Plan projects that assist Sakpatenti in efficient performance of its policy;

 i) Perform authentication of the documents to be signed by Chairman or Deputy Chairman;

 j) Make use of other authorities in performance of designated functions and tasks within the scope defined by applicable law.

2. Structural divisions are accountable to Chairman and Deputy Chairman.

3. Chairman and/or Deputy Chairman perform coordination of daily actions and work supervision of structural divisions in a manner prescribed by law.

 

Article 4. Structural divisions and structural units

1. There are the following structural divisions at Sakpatenti:

 a) Administrative Department, 

 b) Department of Inventions, Design and New Varieties and Breeds, 

 c) Department of Trademarks and Geographical Indications, 

 d) Legal and Copyright Law Department, 

 e) Financial Department, 

 f) International Affairs and Project Management Division, 

 g) Public Relations and Mass Media Section.

 

2. Structural units:

 a) Structural divisions may consist of structural units – units/divisions. 

 b) Titles, number within structural divisions, functions, rights and obligations of structural units are defined by this Statute.

 c) Structural units of the Administrative Department are the following:

 c.i) Information Technologies Division;

 c.ii) Editorial-Publishing Section;

 c.iii) Library Sub-Section.

 d) Structural unit of the Legal and Copyright Law Department is:

 d.i) Copyright Protection Division.

 

Article 5. Department management

1. Departments are led by the Head of Department, appointed to and dismissed from position by Chairman in a manner prescribed by law.

 

2. The Head of Department:

 a) Performs overall supervision and control of activity of the structural units of the department;

 b) Defines the work plan of the Department and is responsible for its implementation;

 c) Arranges assignment of functions to heads of structural units under the department or to their/department employees, gives guidance and assigns tasks accordingly;

 d) Monitors work performance of department staff in their official duty;

 e) Presents department’s activity report to Sakpatenti management in a timely manner;

 f) Is responsible for the implementation of the work plan, Chairman’s orders and designated tasks;

 g) Within the limits of his/her competence, performs control over organization for compliance with obligations deriving from the law.

 

3. The Head of Department is accountable to Chairman and Deputy Chairman.

4. Structural units under department are led by Heads of units/divisions who, in the scope of their competence:

 a) Provide guidance to actions of structural units;

 b) Assign materials received by structural unit;

 c) Supervise and are responsible for performance of work duties by employees of the structural unit;

 d) Report to the Head of Department on work progress by the structural unit.

5. Head of structural unit within the department is accountable to the Head of Department.

 

 

Chapter II

Departments’ scope of competence

Article 6. Scope of competence of the Administrative Department

1. In the scope of its competence, main functions and tasks of the Department are:

 a) Ensuring necessary conditions for proper functioning of Sakpatenti and provision of necessary organizational and technical supplies;

 b) Organizational and technical support to planned consultative meetings;

 c) Organization, coordination and supervision of Sakpatenti case management, compliance control of received correspondence in terms of deadlines; 

 d) Assignment for completion and control of timely compliance with acts, resolutions, decisions, guidelines, protocol tasks issued by the President of Georgia, Parliament of Georgia, Georgian Government and the Chairman;

 e) Development of human resources policy, preparation of recommendations for optimizing HR management and ensuring staff policy compliance;

 f) Registration of orders within Department’s limits of competence;

 g) Organizational support to events planned by Sakpatenti;

 h) Organization of citizen reception, hearing of their requests, proper consulting and explanations for resolution of matters within Department’s competence;

 i) Recording staff work attendance, ensuring operation of computer system for attendance records;

 j) Database administration, development of instructions for operation of automated system, development of applications, development of new forms of database software technology and migration from old solutions;

 k) Ensuring availability of electronic network for structural divisions and units;

 l) Organization of publishing and editorial activities (official bulletins, classifications, books, brochures, booklets, programs, invitations, protection document templates, business cards), offset printing of publications, editing research papers, overall editing of official bulletins and organization of publication in strict compliance with terms set by law;

 m) Oversight of proper operation of movable assets, as well as over activities of support personnel (guards and cleaners); 

 n) Performance of other duties pursuant to the law and defined by Chairman.

 

2. The Department has the following rights and duties in performance of designated functions and tasks:

 a) Initial processing of received documents: preliminary sorting, document registration, monitoring, submission of documents for review to the leadership and ensuring their execution, proper recording of document flow data;

 b) Registration of Chairman’s legal acts, monitoring and referral;

 c) Processing of documents received for further referral and distribution in due course;

 d) Controlling formal accuracy of signed documents and examination of technical parameters of prepared documents;

 e) Registration of templates and periodic destruction of templates unfit for use; 

 f) Organization of citizen reception, consulting and advice for proper directions;

 g) Performance control and analysis of monitored documents, citizens’ requests and appeals;

 h) Preparation of periodic report on completion of monitored documents;

 i) Organizing preparation and conduct of Sakpatenti consultative meetings, production of records, assignment of protocol tasks for implementation and performance control; 

 j) Organization of official receptions, meetings and presentation at Sakpatenti;

 k) Provision of means of communications for Sakpatenti, ensuring proper operation of internal and external telephony; 

 l) Recording of phone and computer equipment, their maintenance;

 m) Organization of utility services for Sakpatenti administrative premises; 

 n) Regular presentation of reports to Sakpatenti leadership on actions within Department’s competence and, in cases of shortcomings identified, preparing recommendations for response;

 o) Performance of other duties deriving from the law and defined by Chairman on the basis of the law. 

 

3. Rights and responsibilities of the Information Technology Unit are the following:

 a) Planning and deployment of computer network;

 b) Ensuring technical availability for development and operation of electronic and information databases related to Sakpatenti activities;

 c) Organization of input of data into specific databases, as well as process of necessary updates and amendments;

 d) Technical deployment and administration of Sakpatenti intranet and remote/local networks connected thereto;

 e) Organization of supply of computer and office equipment, connection of new users to intranet, connection of additional periphery and/or network devices to intranet and ensuring suitable operation;

 f) Diagnostics of technically unfit computer and office equipment and, where possible, performing maintenance or organization of repairs;

 g) Providing software environment for computer and office equipment of Sakpatenti, installation and update of operating systems, installation and update of office, antivirus and other necessary software;

 h) Obtaining and deployment of new information technologies;

 i) Ensuring continuous operation of hardware, extension of current computer network; 

 j) Server, Internet server and email administration;

 k) Sakpatenti website administration, update and ensuring its continuous operation; 

 l) Supervision of recording of patent data onto modern data carriers and forwarding to recipients, preparation of requests for hardware and supplies necessary for deployment of modern information technologies, as well as monitoring use of such hardware/supplies;

 m) Processing local and international applications, entry of bibliographic data into the database, recording abridgements and figurative elements into the database, primary processing of confidential applications and forwarding those to the Ministry of Defense; 

 n) Development of extraordinary and standard software reports; performance of statistics and non-standards tasks; database search; correction of basic information fields; development instructions for use of automated system; development of new forms of database software technology and migration from old solutions, work in PL SQL, creation of SELECT-s and operations, including update of current ones; monthly processing of data (realization of fees, creation and submission of data massifs for WIPO and INPADOC); regular deployment of additional software for database update; preparation of graphical and statistical data for the Annual Report of intellectual property objects; developing massifs for ,,Reference guide of objects published in Official Bulletin of Industrial Property”. 

 o) Monitoring additional materials, sent documents and notifications with regard to local and international applications, correcting database entries in case of discrepancy; repeated electronic authentication; entry of updates into the database (rights transfer, change in subjects, correspondence address); printing of templates required for international applications from WIPO website and entry into database; scanning figures and entry into database; participation in developing and deployment of user manuals and modern information technology; training and consulting on deployment of new technologies where necessary; 

 p) Providing software environment for entry of literature and other materials protected by copyright and related rights in the MS ACCESS database of Sakpatenti, their oversight, formation and restructuring; development of standard ACCESS software reports; creation of new entry forms in the database and change of old forms; creation of macros and SQL selects; renewal, archiving and security monitoring of the database;

 q) Development and monitoring of descriptive database for applications and patents for inventions and utility models, conversion into XML and PDF formats, copying and recording of data into Sakpatenti web-based database;

 r) In compliance with time limits for publication of all objects in Sakpatenti Official Bulletin, generating data from the database, processing, correction, preparation of trilingual Bulletin, conversion into PDF, burning onto CD and publication on the Internet; 

 s) Performance of other duties defined by Chairman on the basis of the law.

 

4. Rights and obligations of the Publishing and Editorial Division is the following:

 a) Publication of the “Official Bulletin of Industrial Property of Georgia" twice every month, in strict compliance with terms set by law, editing materials, corrections and typography works; 

 b) Publication of the trilingual version of the “Official Bulletin of Industrial Property of Georgia" - translation of research papers into English and Russian, editing, correction, creating layout, typography works, printing onto CD;

 c) Publication of Sakpatenti Annual Report – cooperation with departments, sector-specific and philological editing, correction, development of design and style, creating layout, technical editing, publication (typography works);

 d) Publication of the “Bulletin for the Protection of New Plant Varieties and Animal Breeds” - editing, correction, typography works; 

 e) Editing of the Georgian-language descriptions and abridgements generated from the database, correction, production of copies, furnishing;

 f) Publication of annual Reference guide of materials published in the Official Bulletin;

 g) Production of protection documents, templates, event agendas, invitations, greeting cards, calendars, notepads, business cards and other materials where necessary; designing posters, standers and signboards.

 h) Publication of Sakpatenti internal orders, sector-specific literature (classificatory, reference guides, books, brochures and other print media), translation, editing and printing of materials. 

 i) has been repealed (order No 04 of 25/01/2011)

 j) Performance of other duties defined by Chairman on the basis of the law.

 

5. Library Sub-Section rights and responsibilities:

 a) Formation, maintenance and ensuring operation of the national patent bank; 

 b) Provision of patent information and production of copies;

 c) Consulting applicants on library premises;

 d) Servicing readers; 

 e) Preparation of abridgements of materials contained in received literature, providing support to experts in the search process, taking part in preparation of materials for Sakpatenti website;

 f) Furnishing experts with scientific and technical documents;

 g) Signup for, procurement and processing orders of foreign patent and non-patent literature; 

 h) Preparation of Sakpatenti Official Bulletin (paper and CD-ROM versions) for sending to other agencies;

 i) Participation in organization of seminars held by Sakpatenti; collection of materials from conferences organized by WIPO and European Patent Office;

 j) Performance of other duties defined by Chairman on the basis of the law.

Article 7. Competence of the Department of Inventions, Designs and New Breeds and Varieties

1. In the scope of its competence, the main functions and tasks of the Department are the following:

 a) Defining priorities in the area of inventions, designs and new breeds/varieties and ensuring their implementation;

 b) Defining policy in the area of inventions, designs and new breeds/varieties and facilitating policy implementation;

 c) Designating specific measures for development and improvement of protection system of inventions, designs and new breeds/varieties;

 d) Defining priorities in cooperation with international organizations and foreign states and organizing compliance with international obligations in the area of inventions, designs and new breeds/varieties;

 e) Cooperation with corresponding foreign state agencies and international organizations;

 f) Expert examination of applications in a manner defined by law, issuance of corresponding documents and maintenance of the register of inventions, designs and new breeds/varieties;

 g) Preparing proposals for participation of Georgia in international agreements and treaties related to inventions, designs and new breeds/varieties; 

 h) Implementing local and international projects and actions with a view of compliance with set tasks; 

 i) Undertaking procedures with regard to international applications;

 j) Taking part in preparation of draft legislation and other normative acts related to inventions, designs and new breeds/varieties;

 k) Performance of other duties as defined by law and the Chairman on the basis of law.

 

2. The Department has the following rights and responsibilities for the performance of designated tasks:

 a) Processing applications for inventions, designs and new breeds/varieties in a manner prescribed by law; 

 b) Confirming the filing date for application in corresponding areas, examination of formal requirements for the application, substantive examination of application including search, conducting research to determine state of the art, analysis of study materials, evaluation of intellectual property objects against criteria of patentability and rendering decision accordingly; preparation of decisions related to processing of applications and granting patents; 

 c) Examination of international applications and application materials in accordance with the Georgian Law on Patents, PCT and other agreements, including checking against WIPO databases; forwarding requests to WIPO on provision of additional materials on international applications, processing and adopting WIPO circulars for action; processing and implementing WIPO standards; processing electronic communications with WIPO International Bureau in connection with PCT, Hague and UPOV agreements; establishment of international filing date and assignment of international application number, and forwarding those to WIPO and international search agency; 

 d) Conducting scientific and research studies on the protection of inventions, designs and new breeds/varieties;

 e) Preparation of proposals for taking part in international relations and planning of actions accordingly, in the limits of Department’s competence; 

 f) Preparation of proposals for law-drafting;

 g) Preparation of necessary proposals for capacity building of the staff, conduct of corresponding actions, including seminars; taking part in educational activities, including preparation of educational materials; 

 h) Preparation of responses to and decisions on correspondence received by Sakpatenti on the matters of inventions, designs and new breeds/varieties;

 i) In the scope of its competence, registration of licensing agreement and its amendments, including production of corresponding records; 

 j) Participation in translation of international legislative acts and by-laws and editing of translated materials;

 k) Preparation of permit for receiving patent aboard;

 l) Registration of annulment of a patent or certificate and preparation of materials to be published;

 m) Preparation of patent certificate and registration of patents; transfer of registered materials for secondary publication and preparation of a list of registered patents; 

 n) Preparation of a corrected patent certificate in case of partial revocation of a patent as a result of re-examination;

 o) Preparation and issuance of duplicate copies on registered inventions, designs and new breeds/varieties; preparation of registry statements and issuance of addenda; 

 p) Taking part in examination of appeals submitted to Sakpatenti;

 q) Taking part in Sakpatenti educational activities on inventions, designs and new breeds/varieties, including preparation of educational materials;

 r) Preparation of abridgements for publication of new plant varieties and animal breeds in the Official Bulletin;

 s) Consulting applicants within the limits of its competence. 

 

Article 8. Competence of the Department of Trademarks and Geographical Indications

 1. In the scope of its competence, the main functions and tasks of the Department are the following:

 a) Defining of priorities in the area of trademarks, appellations of origin and geographical indications and organizing their implementation;

 b) Defining policy on intellectual property objects and facilitating policy implementation;

 c) Designating specific measures for development and improvement of protection system of trademarks, appellations of origin and geographical indications;

 d) Defining priorities in cooperation with international organizations and foreign states and organizing compliance with international obligations in the area of trademarks, appellations of origin and geographical indications;

 e) Cooperation with corresponding foreign state agencies and international organizations;

 f) Implementing local and international projects and actions with a view of compliance with set tasks; 

 g) Preparing proposals for participation of Georgia in international agreements and treaties related to intellectual property objects; 

 h) Taking part in preparation of draft legislation and other normative acts related to trademarks, appellations of origin and geographical indications;

 i) Expert examination of applications in a manner defined by law, issuance of corresponding documents and maintenance of the register of intellectual property objects;

 j) Undertaking procedures with regard to international applications;

 k) Performance of other duties as defined by law and the Chairman on the basis of law.

 

2. The Department has the following rights and responsibilities for the performance of designated tasks:

 a) Receipt, examination and registration of local and international applications for registration of trademarks, geographical indications and appellations of origin in accordance with the set rules;

 b) Preparing proposals on trademarks, appellations of origin, geographical indications and guaranteed traditional products;

 c) Examining applications concerning persons entitled to use registered appellations of origin and geographical indications and deciding on registration;

 d) Preparation and forwarding international applications to the International Bureau on the basis of the Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration, as well as deciding on applications filed under the Lisbon Agreement; 

 e) Examination, approval and submission to the International Bureau of international applications for registration of local trademarks;

 f) Examination of marks extended to Georgia by the Protocol to the Madrid Agreement for the International Registration of Marks, as well as preparation and submission to the International Bureau of materials concerning decision following examination;

 g) Examining classifications of goods and services and ensuring compliance with the Nice Classification;

 h) Delivery of findings on registration of trademarks in accordance with the requirements of the Law of Georgia on Trademarks;

 i) Registration of the full or partial transfer of rights to trademarks, entry of information into the database and the register, as well as preparation and issuance of the certificate addenda;

 j) Preparation of information on registered marks and forwarding this information to corresponding structural division; preparation of certificates/duplicates of registered marks and issuance of those to rights owners; 

 k) Entry of legally sanctioned amendments to data on registered trademarks into the database and register, as well as preparation and issuance of the certificate addenda;

 l) Registration of extension of the term of validity of trademarks, preparation of certificate and issuance to rights owners; 

 m) Preparation of information on amendments to register of trademarks, appellations of origin and geographical indications and providing this information to corresponding structural division; 

 n) Preparation of a certified copy of the national trademark application; 

 o) Coding of figurative elements according to Vienna Classification; 

 p) Search of verbal and figurative trademarks; preparation of a search pattern in the original and additional languages of the mark; 

 q) Comparing of a mark against the list of main substances in the List of Prequalified Medicinal Products maintained by the World Health Organization;

 r) Entry of legally sanctioned amendments to data on the basis of the International Bureau notice;

 s) Preparation of the annual WIPO technical and statistical report;

 t) Registration of licensing agreement and entry of data into the database and register; 

 u) Conducting scientific and research studies on the protection of trademarks, appellations of origin and geographical indications;

 v) Taking part in Sakpatenti educational activities on trademarks, appellations of origin and geographical indications, including preparation of educational materials;

 w) Preparation of proposals for legislative drafting;

 x) Taking part in examination of appeals submitted to Sakpatenti;

 y) Consulting applicants within the limits of its competence.

 

Article 9. Legal and Copyright Law Department

1. In the scope of its competence, the main functions and tasks of the Department are the following:

 a) Legal support of Sakpatenti operations;

 b) Preparation of legal review of draft legislative acts prepared by Sakpatenti structural divisions;

 c) Coordination of further procedures for adoption of draft legislative acts prepared in Sakpatenti in a manner prescribed by law;

 d) Representation of Sakpatenti in courts of Georgia;

 e) Analysis of legal matters in Sakpatenti activities;

 f) Preparation of proposals, independently and/or together with Sakpatenti structural division, for development of draft normative acts, drafting amendments/additions thereto or their annulment;

 g) Feasibility analysis for participation of Georgia in international agreements and taking part in formulation of respective state policy. Ensuring harmonization of the Georgian intellectual property legislation with international law (conventions);

 h) Review, within limits of its competence, of applications, appeals and letters from citizens and legal entities;

 i) Consulting Sakpatenti management on legal matters;

 j) Performance of other duties as defined by law and the Chairman on the basis of law.

 

2. The Department has the following rights and responsibilities for the performance of designated tasks in the scope of its competence:

 a) Requesting any information from Sakpatenti structural divisions, including information on legal disputes;

 b) Review any draft normative and individual acts that require Chairman’s signature on their compliance with legislation of Georgia and orders of the President of Georgia, and authorize those accordingly; 

 c) Represent Sakpatenti in the courts of Georgia on the basis of respective power of attorney; 

 d) Advise Sakpatenti leadership on development of draft normative and individual acts;

 e) Assist Sakpatenti employees in resolution of legal matters that arise in the course of their official duty;

 f) Draft contracts and/or take part in drafting of contracts that Sakpatenti is a party to;

 g) Take part in the hearings of the Chamber of Appeals; 

 h) Avail itself of other rights and responsibilities for the performance of designated functions and tasks within the limits set by applicable law.

 

3. Right and responsibilities of the Copyrights Division are the following:

 a) Hearing applications on deposition of artistic works and databases;

 b) Deposition of artistic works and issuing respective certificates of deposition;

 c) Consulting applicants in the scope of its competence. 

 

Article 10. Financial Department

In the scope of its competence, the main functions and tasks of the Department are the following:

 a) Coordinating financial activities of Sakpatenti and management of financial resources;

 b) Management of Sakpatenti fiscal process, preparing draft budget and submission for approval in time limits set by law;

 c) Analysis of Sakpatenti fiscal performance and monitoring compliance; 

 d) Preparation of staff list in cooperation with Administrative Department and presentation for approval;

 e) Other ongoing actions in terms of financial and fiscal activities;

 f) Performance of Sakpatenti bookkeeping in accordance with the law; 

 g) Preparation of quarterly annual reports for presentation to financial, statistical and taxation authorities;

 h) Transfer and timely disbursement of staff remuneration and official visit expenses;

 i) Timely disbursement of payments with organizations and individuals;

 j) Organization of audit of main assets, material supplies, monetary funds and payments with debtors and creditors, timely determination and integration of audit results into accounting;

 k) Organizing and conducing procurement pursuant to the Law of Georgia on State Procurement; 

 l) Procurement planning – preparation of yearly procurement plan on the basis of yearly needs and requirements set by Administrative Department; 

 m) Presentation of quarterly and annual contract performance reports to the State Procurement Agency;

 n) Performance of other duties as defined by law and the Chairman on the basis of law.

Article 11. International Affairs and Project Management Division

1. In the scope of its competence, the main functions and tasks of the Division are the following:

 a) Coordinating formulation of main directions of state policy on intellectual property protection; 

 b) Coordination of preparation and implementation of target programs;

 c) Coordination of Sakpatenti relations with international institutions, as well as foreign state, non-governmental, academic institutions and other organizations;

 d) Taking part in organization of procedural arrangements for accession to international and regional conventions, monitoring compliance with obligations deriving from international conventions and agreements undertaken by Georgia;

 e) Coordination of preparation and implementation of ongoing and planned Sakpatenti projects with the support of international donors; 

 f) Defining priorities for cooperation with international organizations and foreign states in the area of intellectual property protection, as well as coordination and monitoring of compliance with international obligations;

 g) Coordinating activities of persons responsible for international and regional conventions;

 h) Performing other duties as defined by law and the Chairman on the basis of law.

 

2. The International Affairs Unit has the following rights and responsibilities for the performance of designated tasks within the limits of its competence:

 a) Taking part in relations with international organizations;

 b) Participation in development of international strategies, action plans and programs for intellectual property protection;

 c) Proposing to Sakpatenti management the appointment of persons responsible for specific conventions and contact persons, and ensuring notification of respective convention bureaus with details of these persons through diplomatic channels;

 d) Coordinating compliance with international obligations and establishing, within the limits of its competence, relevant contacts with Georgian and foreign state, non-governmental, scientific and other organizations with a view to these matters;

 e) Advising Sakpatenti management on feasibility of accession/ratification of international treaties;

 f) Planning Chairman’s agenda for meetings with representatives of foreign states and international organizations;

 g) Organization and coordination of respective protocol events;

 h) Developing proposals for amending Sakpatenti patent documents in conformity with WIPO standards, as well as pursuant to WIPO and European Patent Office requirements;

 i) Ensuring timely translation of intellectual property laws and treaties; preparing various documents and management’s speeches in English; 

 j) Providing assistance to Sakpatenti staff in preparation of official visit documents for foreign events (seminars, conferences, etc.); 

 k) Taking part in defining priorities for cooperation with international organizations and foreign states in the area of intellectual property protection and participating in coordination of monitoring of compliance with international obligations;

 l) Undertaking analysis of membership of Georgia in international agreements;

 m) Taking part in development of international treaties on intellectual property protection and coordinating respective national procedures;

 n) Monitoring compliance of Georgia with obligations deriving from intellectual property conventions and treaties.

 

Article 12. Public Relations and Mass Media Section

1. Main functions and duties of the Public Relations and Mass Media Section Division for Public and Media Relations are the following:

 a) Ensuring publication of press releases and updated information on Sakpatenti website;

 b) Taking into account specific nature of Sakpatenti business, performing research into most topical issues for the general public and organizing meetings with a view to discuss and resolve such issues through dialogue between Sakpatenti and the public;

 c) Planning of actions for projecting a positive image of Sakpatenti management;

 d) Study of Sakpatenti and Sakpatenti Chairman’s ratings;

 e) Timely informing of public and media on processes ongoing within Sakpatenti;

 f) Planning of short- and long-term actions on the basis of analysis of print media and TV news broadcasts;

 g) Coordinating relations of structural divisions with mass media;

 h) Collecting information about ongoing processes, review of collected data and preparation for dissemination to the mass media; 

 i) Ensuring coverage of Sakpatenti activities in print media, production of ads and promo materials and ensuring their air time, organizing press-conferences, briefings, etc;

 j) Organizing special TV broadcasts;

 k) Preparation of press review and analysis;

 l) Promoting transparency and accessibility of Sakpatenti activity;

 m) Performance of other duties designated by the Chairman on the basis of law.

 

2. The Division is led by the Head of Section who coordinates and ensures adequate operation of the Section, establishes contact with media, offers media matters of interest (in view of Sakpatenti interests), plans PR events, ensures their adequate media coverage, is up to date with overall information environment and, within the scope of competence, ensures performance of specific orders from Sakpatenti Chairman.