The route to enforcing Intellectual Property Rights in Georgia

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The European Union Georgia Intellectual Property Project (EUGIPP) has organised an Enforcement Forum in June to encourage authorities, judges and private sector representatives to engage further in enforcing Intellectual Property rights (IPRs) and promote the use of best practices for the surveillance of IP infringements.

Georgia and the European Union established in 2014 a preferential trade regime by signing an Association Agreement and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. It builds a foundation for Georgian political association and economic integration with the EU, and allows both partners to trade freely with each other. The Agreement includes a chapter devoted to intellectual property rights (IPRs).

In order to achieve the objective of the IPR chapter, the EU-Georgia Intellectual Property Project (EUGIPP) puts IPRs at the forefront as per Georgia's economic development agenda. The overall objective of the EUGIPP is to support Georgian authorities in their efforts to approximate to European standards and be able to integrate into the global economy by stimulating economic development and market opportunities.

On this basis, the EUGIPP has organised an ‘enforcement forum’ last 14 to 16 June 2021 to gather and engage with Georgian enforcement authorities, judges, along with private sector representatives during a trade mark exhibition. The activity aimed to encourage participants to engage further in enforcing IP rights and promote the use of best practices on border and internal enforcement measures to prosecute IP infringement. In particular, the workshop had focused on the exchange of information on legislation and practices for the surveillance of IP infringement at the border, internal and digital markets.

It also had contributed to enhance the quality of judicial and administrative procedures in Georgia regarding the enforcement of intellectual property rights. During a specific section dedicated to judges, cases from the Court of Justice of the European Union, the courts of EU Member States and the Georgian courts had been presented and discussed as a group.

Intellectual Property Rights enforcement is crucial for the proper implementation of the association agreement between the EU and Georgia. It contributes to create the best possible conditions for European and Georgian companies to invest and trade in the region by ensuring that trade-related rules, including IPR, are respected and implemented. Effective IPR enforcement is essential for innovation-related investments in the region, as it allows innovative companies to recoup their investments in R&D, product design, branding, marketing and other creative or business activities.

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The route to enforcing Intellectual Property Rights in Georgia