On 27-29 October 2020, an annual Examiners’ Training of BRICS IP Offices was held under the Russian BRICS Chairmanship in 2020 via videoconferencing. Representatives of Rospatent and Federal Institute of Industrial Property (FIPS) took part in the training from the Russian Side.
The training program included the discussion on practical aspects of industrial design protection and relevant legal developments in Russia, Brazil, India, China and South Africa. During the training, participants shared their experience in the features of industrial design examination and issues of judicial practice with case studies.
The key topic of the training was the international registration systems of industrial designs. Among the BRICS countries, only the Russian Federation is a member of the Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs. In this regard, special attention was paid to Rospatent experience in processing applications submitted under this system.
The training was also marked by participation of the Eurasian patent office (EAPO) representative with a report on the development of the regional system of legal protection of industrial designs. This topic was highlighted due to the participation of the Russian Federation in the Protocol to the Eurasian Patent Convention of September 9, 1994 on the Protection of Industrial Designs. The document provides for the possibility of granting regional protection to industrial designs operating on the territory of each state-party that signs or accedes to the Protocol.