EPO cuts ties with Russia
The European Patent Office (EPO) has confirmed that it will cease its cooperation with Russia and Belarusian patent offices after President Vladmir Putin’s forces launched a violent assault on Ukraine last week.
In the statement released yesterday, Tuesday, March 1, the EPO announced that it had made an immediate decision to take such action and that it would also be putting on hold its cooperation activities with the Moscow-based Eurasian Patent Organisation.
Standing in solidarity
The EPO said: “As citizens of Europe, we stand in solidarity with all those suffering from the appalling violence in Ukraine and all refugees seeking safety in other countries.
“Our office was founded in the spirit of European and international cooperation. We stand for peace, progress and prosperity, with staff drawn from across the 38 contracting states of the European Patent Convention.”
The EPO added that it would assess and debate other possible measures and consequences with its 38 member states, extension states and observers in preparation of its next administrative council meeting on March 22.
“In the days and weeks ahead, every effort must be put into promoting open and genuine dialogue as the right path to restoring lasting peace in Europe,” the EPO added.
The Ukraine’s National Association of Patent Attorneys (NAPA) welcomed the development, following its call for the IP community to follow the suit of other organisations and issue sanctions against Russia.
A simple message
NAPA’s board, comprising IP attorneys Kateryna Sopova, Maria Ortynska, Victoria Ostapchuk, Anna Kravchuk, Olga Leonchik, Yuliya Prokhoda, Julia Semeniy issued the following statement to WIPR.
“For six days the Russian troops have been attacking our country with missiles, bombs, tanks and other weapons including those that are prohibited. It is outrageous that they attack civil objects killing and injuring our people.
“Our message is simple and straightforward. While our military forces are bravely fighting the invasion, sanctions in various areas are a crucial response of the civilised world to this attack.”
The board added that in addition to the economic sanctions imposed by many countries and international organisations, the Russian Federation, Russian individuals and teams have been banned from significant cultural and sporting events such as the Eurovision, and FIFA and UEFA football competitions, while Russian companies have been dropped as sponsors for these events.
The board described such actions as “fair and reasonable”.
The statement continued. “The Russian Federation has to understand: a war means an absence of normal life. NAPA believes that the actions of the Russian Federation also deserve professional and civil reaction in the field of IP
“In this situation, we are strongly convinced it would be inappropriate if the representatives from the Russian Federation continue to peacefully enjoy the benefits of the professional intellectual property communities and events, never mind being in managerial positions and taking important decisions in the professional organisations.
“Although we understand that many communities and organisations follow the principles of staying out of politics, we are not talking about politics now: human lives and freedoms are at stake. Therefore, we ask them to not stand aside and to support Ukraine as a part of Europe and the civilised world during the military crisis and help to stop the war.”
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