National Conference on Intellectual Property in Kosovo

In the frame of the World Intellectual Property Day in Kosovo, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Project funded by the EU "Strengthening the System of Intellectual Property in Kosovo" – EUIPR, organized a National Conference on Intellectual Property in Kosovo, where challenges and achievements in the field of protecting intellectual property rights came out.

The conference was attended by high representatives of central and local institutions related to this important field and stakeholders operating in Kosovo in the framework of protecting  intellectual property rights.

Rexhep Hoti, Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, at the National Conference on Intellectual Property Rights in Kosovo, said that the conference has built the legal infrastructure for copyright and related rights.

"In the context of building the legal infrastructure in this field, the Law on Copyright and Related Rights has been issued and now it is in the process of fulfilling-change, in order to be harmonized with EU directives," said Hoti.

Also, the Deputy Minister Hoti stressed that in order to combat piracy and in function of creating a functioning system of copyright, Task Force against piracy is carrying out its activities by taking action and as a result multiple pirated material has been seized.

Hoti also voiced the complaint that avoiding Kosovo from entering into the European Union, with or without the right, regardless the fact that Kosovo is building European standards exclusively from 2012 and onwards, seems to be not only the responsibility of our institutions. According to him, more so where the Europian Union judiciary has exclusive power in Kosovo since 2008.

On the other hand, Mrs. Hykmete Bajrami, Minister of Trade and Industry said that the ministry she heads strongly supports strengthening the intellectual property system.
Bajrami said that the protection of trademarks and industrial patents constitute two areas where our country is facing challenges.

Minister Bajrami said that intellectual property is of great importance for the country’s economy. Furthermore, Bajrami said that technological developments should be encouraged through the protection of intellectual property.

While Libor Chlad, deputy head of Cooperation in the EU Office in Kosovo, said that intellectual property plays an important role in the international market therefore it is important to be protected by law.

Chlad stressed that an effective system of Intellectual Property is important, especially in the prevention of piracy.

He expressed the readiness of the European Union for cooperation in orden to strengthen
the intellectual property rights in Kosovo.

Meanwhile, Ljiljana Kuterovac, Director General of the Croatian Intellectual Property Office informed about Croatia's experience in this field.

She said that based on her country’s experince, intellectual property rights are important for the EU. Kuterovac said that political commitment is very important as well as inter-institutional cooperation with regard to intellectual property rights.