A discussion of the prospects of Belarus accession to the Hague System took place

On June 10, 2020, the National Center of Intellectual Property (NCIP) held a video conference to discuss the prospects of Belarus accession to the Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs. A busy hour-long discussion between the representatives of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and NCIP touched on the most pressing issues of the operation of the IPAS system and its development prospects for experts of the patent office of Belarus.

Ms. Päivi Lähdesmäki, Senior Advisor of the Hague Registry, Brands and Designs Sector of WIPO, spoke about the possibilities of expanding the functionality of the IPAS system in relation to industrial designs and the efficiency of filing applications electronically. In addition, issues related to the development of the IT infrastructure of the Belarusian IP office were touched upon.

The participants agreed on further actions to implement the roadmap for the accession of the Republic of Belarus to the 1999 Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement. The WIPO representative expressed readiness for further fruitful cooperation with the Belarusian side in the areas under consideration.

About the Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs:

The Hague Agreement governs the international registration of industrial designs. The agreement, first adopted in 1925, actually creates an international system (The Hague System), which allows ensuring industrial designs protection in a number of countries or regions with a minimum of formalities. Currently, there are two acts of the Hague Agreement – the 1999 Act and the 1960 Act. The Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs of July 2, 1999 is the latest “version” of the Hague Agreement, which forms the Hague System. International registration of an industrial design can only be obtained by an individual or legal entity connected through an institution, place of residence, citizenship or, in the case of the 1999 Act, habitual residence with a Contracting Party to either of these two acts.

The Hague Agreement allows applicants to register an industrial design by submitting a single application to the WIPO International Bureau, which enables owners of industrial designs to protect them with minimal formalities in numerous countries or regions.

To date, domestic procedures are underway that are necessary for Belarus to accede to the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs of July 2, 1999.

In this regard, a draft Law of the Republic of Belarus “On the Accession of the Republic of Belarus to the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs” was prepared and sent for approval to interested state bodies and organizations.
According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, as of March 6, 2020, 64 states and intergovernmental organizations, including three member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (Republic of Armenia, Kyrgyz Republic, Russian Federation), are parties to the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement.