12.10.2020

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has met with government officials via videoconference to discuss measures designed to boost the system of intellectual property rights protection up to a new level.

In the process of science and innovation advancement and translation of their achievements into a product with high added value, reliable protection of intellectual property is known to be of utmost importance. Goods with brand names are more appreciated in the world market than those lacking such status. Intellectual property accounts for 45 percent of the gross domestic product in Europe, 12 percent of GDP in China and 7 percent in Russia.

Regrettably, our country lags behind the world in this regard. Intellectual property issues are scarcely attached significance, if any, by government agencies, nor are they the object of interest of regional chiefs. As a result, scientists, inventors, representatives of creative professions have preferred to leave this country. Research institutions in Uzbekistan have hardly been able to effectively generate innovations, as have industries, who failed also to create brands.

And even in the case promising inventions, utility models, industrial designs are created, applications for their registration are filed in many cases merely in order to accelerate the defense of research theses. The current requirements for the registration procedure are outmoded, too, leaving no room for innovators to be interested in what appears to be a long and weary process.

The meeting participants hence discussed ways of improving the legislation in this area, of bolstering the protection of intellectual property, introducing scientific achievements in each government agency and industry.

The Ministry of Justice and the Intellectual Property Agency were instructed to devise a three-year program for the sphere development, arranging its extensive discussion with the participation of all government departments and regions, higher educational and research institutions. Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized the importance of introducing a system of benefits towards stimulation of authors of intellectual property, remuneration of patent holders.

In Uzbekistan, about 4.5 thousand items of intellectual property are registered annually, including more than 2 thousand trademarks. For example, the Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Complex has registered 35 inventions over the past ten years, the economic effect of 16 of which has amounted to more than 400 billion soums. Negotiations are currently underway to sell these technologies to gold mining enterprises abroad.

Inventions by our researchers are often registered in foreign countries because of the improper cost assessment system in Uzbekistan. As a result, many utility models are left out of commercialization.

Therefore, the President pointed out the need to create a system for training new generation appraisers in cooperation with specialists from the World Intellectual Property Organization.

The head of our state urged the officials in charge to deliver, in the first quarter of next year, a platform for industrial patents to house intellectual property objects of industries, and a database on the intellectual property of enterprises and universities.

Last year, about 400 inventions, 110 utility models, 170 industrial designs, 36 selection achievements were registered in the country, but as few as 43 scientific developments were commercialized. Therefore, it is advisable to organize their online fairs.

“We must help establish cooperation between patent owners and entrepreneurs,” the President told the meeting participants.

The head of state also enquired into international registration of Uzbek trademarks.

Hitherto, merely 72 brands have passed such registration. There is every opportunity to come up with greater figures though, Shavkat Mirziyoyev insisted.

Such recognizable merchandise as Chust knives, Samarkand bread, Margilan adras, Sherabad pomegranate, Altyaryk and Parkent grapes, Khorezm melons, Surkhandarya dates can be registered as area-based brands and be actively promoted in the international market, the President suggested.

The Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade has been instructed to expand the international registration of local brands and support their access to the global market.

Trainings are to be organized for entrepreneurs at the Tashkent Law University and law faculties of regional universities on the creation and protection of intellectual property.

A software is to be developed to set up an online platform for branding the products of entrepreneurs, and brand fairs are to be held in the regions, as well.

“Uzbekistan should sound on our products entering the world market. Only branded goods are able to make their way to foreign markets and take their slot,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.

The President noted that the dire practice of registration by individual entrepreneurs of trademarks identical to celebrated international brands impedes the flow of foreign investment into our country. Executives were instructed on how to make a u-turn on this front.

Another pressing issue at stake in Uzbekistan is the commercial use of works of art and literature without the consent of the author.

For example, online cinemas who charge a fee for viewing by subscription have posted more than 30,000 motion pictures, TV series, clips and animation films, yet their authors barely receive any royalties.

The Agency for Information and Mass Communications and the Intellectual Property Agency were urged to evaluate the activities of entertainment websites, radio and TV channels registered in the country to make sure the interests of intellectual property authors are properly met.

“Should we bolster the protection of intellectual property, it would also serve as a robust backbone for the third Renaissance,” the President summed up.

Executives in charge of the sphere reported on how they would address the issues discussed at the meeting.