EU Advisory Group Evaluates Armenia’s IP Strategy Implementation, Provides Recommendations

On December 5, 2011, the EU Advisory Group issued a report on Armenia’s progress in implementing its IP strategy, ratified by the Armenian government in June 2011.

Among the positive developments, the EU Advisory Group noted that the police, the IPO and Armauthor (Authors’ Rights Protection Organization) have been successfully enforcing the IP rights. The Group also commended the work of the Armenian Observatory on Counterfeiting and Piracy, a group of key private and public IP stakeholders that plays a central role in coordinating the IP reform and enforcement.

The priority reforms at the moment are connected with border enforcement and improvement of the criminal and civil procedures in order to reduce the high level of piracy and counterfeiting.

The EU Advisory Group also made a few recommendations for the upcoming months, including:

• Continuation of the IP legislation reforms;
• Increasing IP awareness among public authorities and the public;
• Ensuring better coordination among the IP enforcement authorities.

Implementation of the IP Strategy is a condition for Armenia’s successful completion of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) negotiations with the EU. Since 2008, the EU Advisory Group has been supporting the Armenian government in the implementation of its reforms and international commitments.

For more information, please contact Aleksandra Pavlovic at our Macedonia office.

Source: Public Radio of Armenia website