In the period 21-25 September 2020, the 61st session of the Assembly of the member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO is held in the hybrid format, in compliance with the health situation caused by the pandemics of Covid 19 and the protective measures. During the introductory addresses of the member states of WIPO, the Director of the Intellectual Property Office, Mr. Vladimir Maric, gave a statement in which he emphasized the activities of the IPO in the previous year in the new circumstances, unprecedented in the later world history, from which we underline the following.
The IPO, in compliance with the respect for sanitary measures of the Republic of Serbia, passing the most difficult crisis period, and in the changed regime of work, continued to perform its duties with equal efficiency as before the crisis occurred. The circumstances forced us to dedicate to a higher degree to the implementation of digital technologies in the operations of the IPO and to enable the employees to pass decisions on IP rights with no difficulties from their homes when necessary, and today one half of the employees has the possibility to work from home. We also engaged extensively on the promotion of electronic services, and when files are concerned, almost 70% of all applications for the industrial property rights are received in the IPO on-line. In these unusual circumstances, the Intellectual Property Office prepares for the celebration of an important jubilee – 100 years of existence, and among other things, the monograph on the IPO shall be published. The celebration of the centenary of the IPO shall be celebrated by a good news on the advance of Serbia on the “Global innovation Index”, by four places in comparison to the previous year.