Amendments and addenda were made to some regulations, which are aimed at simplifying and facilitating the procedures for registering intellectual property objects, as well as enhancing measures to effectively protect the rights of intellectual property owners.
The Criminal Code was supplemented with an article on violation of copyright and related rights, in particular, criminalizzing illegal use of works or objects of related rights, as well as the reproduction, distribution, and bringing to the attention of everyone of counterfeit copies of works or objects of related rights, is punishable by a fine of 50 to 100 times the minimum wage, or correctional labor for up to two years, or restriction of liberty or imprisonment for up to two years.
Should same actions be committed repeatedly or by a group of persons in advance, in collusion or by using their official position, using the media, causing significant damage, they are punishable by a fine of 100 to 150 times the BCU, or by from two to three years correctional labor, or by house arrest or from two to three years imprisonment.
The amendments also provide for the following:
- shorter timelines for examination of certain objects of intellectual property;
- more incentives for payment of patent fees;
- harsher liability for violation of rights to objects of intellectual property, etc.
Amendments and addenda have been made to the following laws:
- Legal protection of programs and databases created for electronic computers Law;
- Inventions, utility models and industrial designs Law.
