Round Table Conference on the New Management Models of Intellectual Property

Round Table Conference on the New Management Models of Intellectual Property gathered representatives of academic science, public and private sector who exchanged their institutional, expert and professional experience on the topic. The Forum was organized jointly by the Private Legal Studies Department of UNWE Law Faculty, Creative Industries and Intellectual Property Department of UNWE Business Faculty and the International Legal Advice Center (ILAC). 

In the Conference Hall of the University Center for Intellectual Property

We are the flagman in the field of intellectual property and we should impose all aspects of its issues more intensively, declared the Rector of UNWE Prof. D.Sc.(Econ.) Statty Stattev. He reminded about the hard beginning 27 years ago when the intellectual property had been imposed as common university discipline and the UNWE had been turned into a leader and the only university in the country for preparation of professionals in that field. 

Prof. Statty Stattev, Assoc. Prof. Vladya Borisova and Prof. Borislav Borisov (from the left to the right)

I`d like to believe that the good intentions of organizers will give also good results because we have an effective unity between both university Departments and ILAC, outlined the Rector. He gave as an example the interest in the recent National Seminar on Creation of Culture for Intellectual property among the SME`s which was held at the university followed by the negotiation of future trainings for the business. Prof. Stattev expressed his confidence in the results of the Round Table Conference and emphasized that they should be brought to the attention of relevant institutions.  

The Rector Prof. Stattev

This Round Table Conference is especially important, declared the Honorary Rector and Honorary Professor of UNWE Prof. Dr. Borislav Borisov, Director of the University Center for Intellectual Property. He expressed his contentment of the topic and reports of the Forum. In relation to the recent comments on the large number of universities in the country he made the following statement: The problem is not in the number of universities but in their multi-profiling. Thirty one universities have Faculties of Economics and eight universities provide education in the field of law, pointed out the data the Honorary Rector. The Economics and Law are like the terms “content” and “form”, outlined Prof. Borisov as confirmation of the thesis about the academic place of legal education.  

The Honorary Rector Prof. Borisov

The globalization requires thinking very profoundly about the setting of the form to the acting processes, emphasized Prof. Borisov. As arguments he pointed out the variations concerning the trade mark during the last ten years. The industrial property still stands up to the challenges of globalization, however, it doesn`t applies to the copyright and its quite old regulatory framework - especially in the digital era, outlined the problem the Honorary Rector. Prof. Borisov summarized that the challenges could be solved only in union between the economists and jurists.  

In his statement Mr. Emil Radev, member of the European Parliament pointed out that Europe is the home of creativity and talents and the UNWE is an eloquent example of it. He commented the enlargement of digital environment, copyright, necessity of reforms and new harmonization in the EU countries. The European deputy examined the two major problems of the current discussion – the online licensing of publications and payment in online platforms. 

Mr. Emil Radev

Mr Lyubomir Ganchev, Counselor of the Minister of Economy Emil Karanikolov outlined the activity of the Ministry of Economy on the coordination in the intellectual property protection, creation of more conducting environment, intellectual property market, digital world and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Our objective is to support the digital innovations through centers, to develop the sectors of wide use of intellectual property, pointed out Mr. Ganchev. 

Mr. Lyubomir Ganchev (on the right)

Mr. Georgy Damyanov, expert, former Director of Copyright and Related Rights Directorate at Ministry of Culture spoke about the new requirements of digital environment and creation of single digital market. He said explicitly that the intellectual property protection level in the country had not worked as it should so a special agency to the Council of Ministers should be opened. Mr. Damyanov pointed out that such kind of structures had been opened in many EU countries. 

Mr. Georgy Damyanov

The value of each company is measured through the value of its intellectual property, summarized Dr. Petko Nikolov, Chairman of the Patent Office. Dr. Nikolov commented why the companies replace the focus from the intellectual property and ignore the intellectual property protection. It is often regarded that the registration of trade mark, patent or know-how could be postponed and done at later stage which sometimes turns out fatal for the company and the business, outlined Dr Nikolov. He examined also the intellectual property as “an object of pledge” and paid attention to the awareness of its importance by all institutions, more successful models for structuring the state administration and creation of parity authority to partner more successfully with the concerned parties.

Dr. Petko Nikolov

Institutionally we all work in benefit for the intellectual property, summarized Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vladya Borisova, Head of the Creative Industries and Intellectual Property Department, moderator of the Round Table Conference. However, the relation science - practice is somehow lost. There is a structure built, institutions, intellectual potential but the business is not supplied with knowledge in the field of intellectual property, pointed out Assoc. Prof. Borisova. She specified that the Department had worked actively for the creation of professionals developing scientific research activity and participating in the elaboration of strategic documents but the relation with the business had been lost. As if the business representatives knew about the opportunities for the conduction of specialized training in intellectual property for SME`s after the implementation of joint event by the UNWE, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria regardless of whether there is or is not any institutional infrastructure built. 

Assoc. Prof Vladya Borisova

Prof. D.Sc.(Econ.) Plamen Mishev, Dean of the Business Faculty and Assoc. Prof. D.Sc.(Law) Zhivko Draganov also expressed their statements on the topic during the Round Table Conference.  

Prof. Plamen Mishev (on the left)

Assoc. Prof. Zhivko Draganov (on the right)

The discussion topics for the Round Table Conference were organized in two panels: Tendencies in the Intellectual Property Institutionalization and Intellectual Property Regulation in Digital Environment.