The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) carries out a study entitled “Models of Intellectual Property Governance and Administration”. The main purpose of the study is to study different forms of intellectual property governance and administration, to describe their main characteristics and dynamics, to promote the application of positive practices and to make recommendations on providing methodical assistance to intellectual property (IP) offices.

WIPO has commissioned this study to the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research in Germany. Within the framework of the study, 15 countries with positive experience, including the Republic of Azerbaijan, were selected from among 204 national intellectual property offices around the world that meet the objectives of the study.

An important part of the study is conducting extensive interviews with the heads of national intellectual property offices. For this purpose, the leading experts of Research Institute, professor Nikolaus Thumm and Christopher Stolz, conducted an extensive interview with Dr. Kamran Imanov, Chairman of the Board of Intellectual Property Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Answering more than 10 questions, Dr. K. Imanov spoke about the history of the national intellectual property institute. He mentioned the modernization of our country and the successful implementation of socio-economic reforms as a result of the efforts of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev, and he rendered detailed information about the establishment of the Intellectual Property Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan by Decree of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated to April 20, 2018 number 5, within the framework of the institutional reforms aimed at improving the intellectual property system as a component of economic diversification and innovative development.

He mentioned the basis of the ideology of radical reforms carried out by the President of Azerbaijan in all fields is to support innovations in the development of intellectual property along with creative entrepreneurship, investments and competitive markets.

Of course, we are talking about an interdisciplinary approach here. That approach involves re-understanding and defining the concept of the category of intellectual property, studying it as the interrelationships of economics, sociology and law.

Dr. K. Imanov stated that the development plan on Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities For Socio-Economic Development, Socio-economic development strategy for 2022-2026 of the Republic of Azerbaijan, approved by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, also serves the stated goals and he directly emphasized the need to approach intellectual property as a driving force forming the national ecosystem of innovations.

He further said that within the rules for issuing protection documents, the Agency carries out its activities by increasing the efficiency of services, as well as strengthening invention and patent activity, reducing the period of considering of claim documents and simplifying the application procedure.

It also provides methodical assistance in removing bureaucratic obstacles in this field.

Dr. K. Imanov further noted that one of the main goals of all services provided by the Agency is to reduce internal transaction costs, ensure transparency of work and eliminate subjectivity.

The digital platform created at the Agency also serves to create contactless communication between applicants of patents and trademarks on the basis of the “one-stop-shop” principle and to provide unlimited access to the system from any source. The Chairman of the Board said that the advantages of such an approach in the management of the Agency fully justified themselves. He substantiated this with specific examples.

The information given in the interview were highly appreciated by international experts. Experts requested the books which authored by Dr. K.Imanov on topics related to the subjects of the experts interview and the presentation on the interview be sent to them for distribution among the experts.

The interview was attended by Mr. Ilya Gribkov, Head, Section for Caucasian, Central Asian and Eastern European Countries, Department for Transition and Developed Countries of WIPO and experts from other section of this organization.