The International conference "Industrial Property for Competitiveness: EU and Global Experience" took place in Vilnius

It was organized by the World intellectual property Organization ( WIPO) and the Lithuanian State Patent Bureau (SPB). Mr Ch. Wichard, Deputy Director General, World intellectual property Organization (WIPO), Mr. Benoît Battistelli, President of the European Patent Office (EPO), Mr Raimund Lutz, Vice-President Directorate-General Legal/International Affairs, European Patent Office (EPO), Mr. Vincent O„Reilly, Director of Department for industrial property Policy, Office of Harmonization for the Internal Market (OHIM) and representatives of 16th foreign countries participated at the event. Among them Hungary under European Union Presidency, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Spain, Latvia, Estonia, Chech Republic, Georgia and even Japan. In total, the conference was attended by over 160 people.

The conference was held upon coming of the World intellectual property Day the whole world celebrates on the 26th of April. In this year taking into account the importance and significance of the Conference, the WIPO awards ceremony has been brought forward.

WIPO Award as the Most Innovative Enterprise in Lithuania 2010 has been acknowledged to Vilnius University. For the first time in Lithuania WIPO Award for „Young inventor“. was presented. It was handed to Dr. A. Zagorskis from Vilnius Gediminas Technical University Faculty of Environmental Engineering. His scientific research interests - environmental air purification technology.

During the conference the 20th anniversary of establishment of the State Patent Bureau was celebrated. It was repeatedly emphasized that the State Patent Bureau within a relatively short period of time has become a solid body, causing a significant impact on the Lithuanian industrial property protection, scientific thought and creative development of Lithuania’s economic development and its competitiveness.

The conference was focused on intellectual property to boost the competitiveness of any use. The competitiveness in a unified Europe can not be reached without increasement in national competitiveness. The presentations in this Conference clearly demonstrated that fact that the size of a state not always determines its competitive advantage, particularly in terms of new ideas, new technologies and their applications. WIPO representatives, the Head of the Danish Patent Office provided examples of how inventors of small states create technological solutions, that provide the flexibility, adaptability, and gain a competitive advantage.