To mark the World Intellectual Property Day on April 26, in partnership with the E-Commerce Association, we hosted an IPR Forum, bringing together around 60 participants from state institutions, agencies, academia and non-governmental organizations. The forum aimed to raise awareness and stimulate deliberate discussion and action around key issues in the field of IPR. The event was officially opened with a panel discussion, where the speakers, Ms. Jelena Peeva, Deputy-Director of the State Office for Industrial Property, Ms. Maja Kambovska, Healthcare system partner at Roche Macedonia and Mr. Nenad Gavrilovic, professor at the Faculty of Law ‘Iustinianus Primus’ in Skopje shared their insights on the value of IPR — highlighting its role not only in driving innovation and supporting business growth, but also its broader impact on society, including protecting, improving, and extending human lives.
The second part of the forum offered participants an opportunity for deeper exchange of views through group discussions focused on five topics: the regulation of IPR, including the current framework and ideas for future improvements; collaborative approaches to IPR protection; the challenges of gray economy in e-commerce and its effect on IPR; broadcasting copyright content in the digital environment; and the value IPR brings to businesses. Divided into five groups, participants shared their experiences, recommendations, and perspectives on these important themes. Within the group discussions, several key points were emphasized, including the need for stronger cooperation among institutions, the importance of greater public education and outreach on IPR issues, and the need to address specific regulatory and operational challenges. The insights gathered from this event will serve as a foundation for shaping our next steps and future activities in the area of IPR.
We extend our sincere thanks to HalkBank for hosting the event, to React and Law Office Pepeljugoski for their support in organizing it, to our IPR Task Force for their invaluable help in preparing the forum, and to all participants for their active engagement and sharing their insights.
Special thanks to:
