Uzbekistan moves to strengthen intellectual property protection

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The Legislative Chamber of Uzbekistan’s Oliy Majlis has approved in its first reading a bill aimed at improving the legal protection of intellectual property.

The document provides for updated mechanisms to protect intellectual property rights, simpler administrative procedures and a more favourable legal environment for entrepreneurs and investors.

One of the proposed amendments concerns property rights to works created as part of an employee’s official duties or under an assignment.

These include literary, screenplay, musical, choreographic, audiovisual, architectural and design works. The bill proposes regulating such rights through contractual arrangements and abolishing the provision under which the rights automatically pass to the author after 10 years.

The bill also proposes allowing individuals who disagree with decisions made following state examinations of intellectual property objects to appeal directly to a court, alongside the existing right to file a complaint with the Appeals Council. This would expand opportunities for individuals and businesses to seek judicial protection of their rights.

In addition, the bill would allow state fees for maintaining patents for inventions, utility models, industrial designs and plant varieties to be paid in advance.

The proposed mechanism is expected to help prevent patents from lapsing for technical reasons and simplify procedures for rights holders.

The adoption of the bill is expected to improve intellectual property protection, encourage innovation and enhance Uzbekistan’s investment appeal.