The National Strategy for the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights.
By Decision of the Council of Ministers no. 527 dated 20.07.2016 "On the approval of the National Intellectual Property Strategy 2016-2020" The most important strategic document in the field of intellectual property was finalized, bringing together the institutions responsible for the implementation of intellectual property rights in the Republic of Albania.
Considered as a strategy that has worked best in gathering information, achieving objectives, and fulfilling activities according to the action plan, where DPPI has played a very active role, thus creating an efficient collaboration between the involved institutions.
As a document in which significant changes occurred in the field of intellectual property over a four-year period, it became necessary to draft a third strategic document in this area to address what was not achieved by the previous strategy, partly due to the global pandemic situation. The strategy specifically aims to encourage the Albanian economy towards an innovative economy based on knowledge.
The strategy consists of the following chapters:
1. Current Conditions
2. Vision and Strategic Objectives
3. Policies
4. Accountability and Monitoring
5. Action Plan
6. Annexes
A component of this strategy is ensuring intellectual property rights, the proper functioning of the judiciary system in relation to intellectual property, continuous training of the judiciary, as well as the modernization of the institutions involved in the system. The strategy suggests that the IP system should encourage technology transfer through the technology transfer market, particularly through the buying and selling of patent-protected technology. It also prioritizes public awareness campaigns on the importance of intellectual property.
The mission of this strategy is to stimulate economic growth and cultural and scientific development in the Republic of Albania by strengthening the impact of the intellectual property system on the country’s economic development. This strategy does not focus on the enforcement of intellectual property rights as an end in itself. Its focus is on improving the functioning of the intellectual property system with the aim of promoting and supporting innovation through the encouragement of scientific research, particularly by Albanian companies, local higher education institutions, and individuals, to assist the Albanian economy and its citizens on the path toward economic development and higher standards.
Specifically, it will serve as a policy tool to encourage investments in research and development, as well as guarantee success in the market. This document has been drafted with the contribution of experts from the interinstitutional working group established by the Prime Minister’s Order No. 118, dated 23.09.2020, "For the establishment of the interinstitutional working group for coordinating, drafting, and monitoring the implementation of the Intellectual Property Strategic Document 2022-2025," as well as with the technical assistance provided by the experts of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), one of our most important partners in the journey of institutions toward a sustainable intellectual property system.
The document, during its drafting and upon its completion, was consulted with interest groups, and more than 10 institutions contributed to its creation. Due to the situation caused by COVID-19, all planned meetings with institutions were held online, coordinated by the General Directorate of Industrial Property. The institutions involved, in addition to online interviews, also completed a questionnaire, providing information on the current situation of the institutions according to their areas of responsibility, their challenges, and priorities. It should be emphasized that this was a very difficult period to conduct all planned interviews on time due to the pandemic.
The report prepared by the experts of the WIPO delegation was based on the analysis of the DPPI's database, interviews conducted with the institutions involved in the system, questionnaires completed by the institutions, as well as interest groups. To finalize the report, WIPO contracted two experts: a national expert, Ms. Elvana Zhezha, PhD, national consultant of WIPO, Tirana, selected in consultation with Albania, and Ms. Romana Matanovac Vučković, PhD, IP expert, Croatia – International Consultant of WIPO, selected in consultation with Albania. After the preparation of the initial report by Ms. Zhezha on the current situation in Albania, work began on preparing the Evaluation Report and Recommendations for the Intellectual Property system in Albania.
The project was coordinated on the Albanian side by the DPPI, Ms. Sonila Meka, Head of the Coordination, Analysis, and Reporting Sector, acting as the point of contact for coordinating and following up on the entire process until the finalization of this document. The active assistance and support of Ms. Ledina Beqiraj, Director General of DPPI, was also essential in the preparation of this report. Based on the questionnaires and interviews conducted, it became clear that the creation of intellectual property rights objects in the Republic of Albania has significant potential for development, both in terms of structure and purpose.
This is particularly true for technological innovations, including new technical solutions, new functionalities, the form and appearance of products, etc. Due to the increasing number of registrations of geographical indications and appellations of origin (as further discussed in the text), it appears that Albania is an area with significant potential for economic development.