Introduction

The State Office of Industrial Property is a administrative organization with the status of an independent state body which is financed from its own revenues, and if additional funds are necessary, also from the budget of the Republic of Macedonia and is an institution responsible for the implementation of the administrative procedures for obtaining and maintaining of industrial property rights, but also has broader competences defined by the Law on Industrial Property (“Official Gazette” No. 21/2009, No. 24/2011, 12/2014 and 41/2014). 

The competences of the Office also concern the initiation of ratification of international agreements, monitoring of their implementation, cooperation with international, European and regional intellectual property organizations, cooperation with other entities involved in the system of protection of industrial property rights, promoting of the protection of industrial property and the like. The Office represents the Republic of Macedonia and participates in the work of bodies and committees of the World Intellectual Property Organization - WIPO, the European Patent Office - EPO, and is also involved in the international cooperation within the European Union - the EU, the World Trade Organization - WTO and bilateral free trade agreements.

By means of a Decision by the Government of the Republic of Macedonia, the Office was designated for management of the working group on Chapter 3.7. “Intellectual Property Right” in the preparation of the National Programme for the Adoption of the EU and the preparations for negotiating positions and is an institution carrier for the following Chapters: 3.7.2.-industrial property rights and 3.7.3.-Enforcement.

In that respect, and in order to meet the obligations of membership of the Republic of Macedonia to the EU, a project on “Strengthening the institutional capacity of the State Office of Industrial Property for effective support to the system for the protection and enforcement of industrial property rights” was approved, as provided by Component III, within the project IPA TAIB 2011 Component I - Assistance in transition and institution-building. The Office is in the process of final preparations for tendering for the project implementation. The project is planned to be implemented in the period 2015-2016 in the duration of 21 months.

In addition, the EU Delegation approved the request of the Office: 2011 PPF TSF, whereby the Office asked for support to the adoption of a 2014 – 2016 Strategy for Industrial Property, but given the lack of rules for FwB for 2013, the Strategy will cover the period 2015-2017. The Office will coordinate the activities for the adoption and implementation of the new “Strategy of Industrial Property 2015 - 2017.” The project on adoption of the strategy is expected to start in late 2014 and early 2015 and be completed in the period of 9 months. 

The State Office of Industrial Property is an institution that coordinates the process of strengthening the entire system for development and protection of industrial property rights, and the system of implementing the protection of industrial property rights. 

The State Office of Industrial Property faced with the obligations arising from the Law on Industrial Property, and above all obligations of EU integration processes, membership in the World Intellectual Property Organization, the World Trade Organization and participation in the work of the European Patent Organisation, undertakes a succession of activities in order to respond appropriately to the tasks in the area of harmonization of legislation, acceptance of international treaties and conventions, strengthening of the bilateral cooperation, participation in working bodies of the organizations, other than the World Trade Organization, as well as activities for the promotion and encouragement of industrial property.

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