US embassy cable - 04BRATISLAVA267

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000267 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR EB/IPC AREIAS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KIPR, ETRD, ECON, LO 
SUBJECT: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY TRAINING, NEEDS AND BEST 
PRACTICES 
 
REF: STATE 04276 
 
THE FOLLOWING IS POST'S RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS RAISED IN 
REFTEL. 
 
A.1.  NEITHER THE EMBASSY NOR THE USAID MISSION HAS 
CONDUCTED IPR-RELATED TRAINING IN SLOVAKIA.  (NOTE: USAID 
    DEPARTED SLOVAKIA IN DECEMBER 2002).  IN OCTOBER 2003, TWO 
SLOVAK OFFICIALS, ONE FROM THE INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY OFFICE 
(IPO) AND ONE FROM THE HEALTHCARE MINISTRY, ATTENDED A 
CONFERENCE ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, PHARMACEUTICAL 
INNOVATION, AND INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH ORGANIZED BY THE 
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. 
 
A.2.  POST IS NOT AWARE OF ANY GROUPS THAT HAVE CONDUCTED 
IPR TRAINING IN SLOVAKIA.  HOWEVER, SLOVAK AUTHORITIES FROM 
THE IPO ATTENDED SEVERAL WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS ABROAD, 
MAINLY ORGANIZED BY THE EUROPEAN PATENT OFFICE OR THE WORLD 
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE.  THE EVENTS COVERED THE 
FOLLOWING TOPICS: PROTECTION OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY; IT 
TECHNOLOGIES; PROCEDURES IN CASES INVOLVING TRADEMARKS AND 
PATENTS; THE NICE AGREEMENT CONCERNING THE INTERNATIONAL 
CLASSIFICATION OF GOODS AND SERVICES FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE 
REGISTRATION OF MARKS; THE MADRID AGREEMENT CONCERNING THE 
INTERNATIONAL REGISTRATION OF MARKS; PROTECTION OF 
INDUSTRIAL DESIGNS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION; PROTECTION OF 
GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATORS AND DESIGNATIONS OF ORIGIN, ETC. 
 
B.1.  N/A 
 
B.2.  N/A 
 
B.3.  POST HAS LOBBIED THE MINISTRIES OF ECONOMY AND HEALTH 
TO INCREASE THEIR EFFORTS TOWARD IPR PROTECTION. 
 
C.1.  POST WOULD WELCOME ADDITIONAL IPR TRAINING 
OPPORTUNITIES FOR OFFICERS AND SLOVAK OFFICIALS. 
 
    C.2.  POST IS CONSIDERING AN IPR-RELATED INTERNATIONAL 
VISITOR PROGRAM. 
 
TO DATE, POST HAS NO EXPERIENCE WITH THE USG TRAINING 
DATABASE MENTIONED IN REFTEL, BUT WILL MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO 
BECOME FAMILIAR WITH IT. 
 
WEISER 
 
NNNN