The Parliament of Georgia approved the Agreement between the Government of Georgia and the European Patent Organisation (EPO) on the Validation of European Patents (Validation Agreement).
The negotiations on the validation of European patents on the territory of Georgia started between the EPO and the National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia (Sakpatenti) back in 2012.
The Agreement will strengthen industrial property protection and facilitate fulfillment of the commitments under the Association Agreement between the European Union and Georgia. In addition, the Validation Agreement increases the chances of Georgia joining the EPO.
Nowadays, a patent for an invention in Georgia can be obtained in two ways: through the direct filing of an application with Sakpatenti and by means of filing an international application filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) in the national phase in Georgia.
Currently, the third, faster, and cheaper way of obtaining a patent for an invention in Georgia will become available – by requesting validation of a European patent application in Georgia.
The European Patent Organisation has 39 Contracting States (all 27 member states of the European Union and 12 non-EU member states) and Georgia will become the 5th so-called “validation state”.