Since January 2008 the EBA Intellectual Property Working Group (former EBA Brand Protection WG) is transformed into the EBA Intellectual Property Committee.

The EBA Brand Protection Working Group was the first EBA working group established in late 2005 as a new lobbying initiative aimed at protection of brands in Ukraine. At the meeting held on 4 December, 2006 it was agreed to widen the range of issues covered by the WG’s activity. With this aim the WG’s title was approved to be changed into the EBA Intellectual Property Working Group.

The companies from different market segments have gathered in frames of the Committee in order to join their efforts to ensure respect to intellectual property in Ukraine and safeguard integrity of corporate brand image.

In April 2008 the Committee members prepared the Analytical Review IN CLOSE UP: Judicial Protection of Intellectual Property Rights.

The purpose of the analysis released in this document is to examine the issue of insufficient judicial protection of intellectual property rights and a need to reform the system of protection of such rights in court, and provide practical recommendations in this area. The Analytical review contains general description of the problem concerning necessity to improve judicial protection of intellectual property rights, relevant European experience, concrete proposals with regards to their settlement, as well as experts’ opinion.

The Intellectual Committee Chairmanship 2009 was elected on 1 December 2008:

• Co-Chair - Yuliya Kolchenko, Baker & McKenzie
• Co-Chair - Vladislav Shapoval, LEXFOR

The EBA Intellectual Property Committee holds its meetings on monthly basis every second Monday of the month at 17:00.