Law and society: International Day of Intellectual Property is celebrated

The International Day of Intellectual Property is celebrated on April, 26. It is the very day when in 1970 the World Intellectual Property Organization was organized (WIPO). There is a tradition according to which every year the WIPO establishes a motto. This year’s motto is “Innovators and visionaries”.

In the framework of the International Forum “Intellectual Property-2012” the head of the Federal Service for Intellectual Property (ROSPATENT) Boris Simonov made a report, dedicated to this holiday.

 His report was a historical one and was dedicated to all the scientists and inventors who changed our world. The excursion to the past began with the invention which really has turned over the entire world 500 years ago – it was the Gutenberg’s printing press.

The invention of the printing press was the beginning of a breakthrough in the field of law. It was it that led to the first standard act which contributed the development of the legislation in the field of intellectual property – “The act on the promotion of learning, by vesting the authors and customers with rights to copy printing books”. 

“This year marks the 200^th anniversary of the adoption of the first patent after the Patriotic War of 1812. I want to emphasize that within100 years it has been issued about 40 000 patents of inventions. Today we issue about 40-45 thousands of applications on the patent of invention a year”, marked B. Simonov.

“Today in Russia there are 1.5 millions of inventors. They are in need of protection of their rights. They need to continue to motivate and we have to be grateful to them for their intellectual work, that develops not only ours but also the world economy. There should be a special law about inventors, inventions and the elected society that in the first place will guarantee the protection of these rights”, finished his speech the head of ROSPATENT.