Validation agreement with Georgia enters into force

The validation agreement between the European Patent Organisation and Georgia enters into force today. As a result, inventors and businesses are now able to validate their European patent applications and patents granted by the European Patent Office (EPO) in Georgia on the basis of the country’s national law.

EPO President António Campinos highlighted the significance of this co-operation milestone: “The entry into force of the validation agreement with Georgia broadens the attractiveness and accessibility of the European patent system. It will also further reduce processing times and costs for applicants, as well as the administrative burden for the National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia, while guaranteeing the highest levels of legal certainty”.

Mr Soso Giorgadze, chairman of the Georgian patent office Sakpatenti, stated: "It is an important step for Georgia, which was just granted EU candidate status. The entry into force of the validation agreement will contribute to further integration of the national economy into the European market. It will also simplify procedures and enhance protection of industrial property in Georgia."

Patent protection in 45 countries on the basis of a single European patent application

Those European patent applications and patents validated in Georgia under the agreement will have the same effect and be subject to the same conditions as Georgia’s national patents. The accompanying technical co-operation between the EPO and the National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia, SAKPATENTI, will bolster the development of Georgia’s national patent system and further foster innovation. The validation of European patents is also an important element for helping to attract foreign investment in Georgia.

The agreement was originally signed on 31 October 2019 and is the fifth of its kind to enter into force following those concluded between the European Patent Organisation and Morocco, the Republic of Moldova, Tunisia and Cambodia. With the current agreement’s entry into force and the extension agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina, the number of countries for which patent protection can be obtained on the basis of a single European patent application rises to 45.

More on validation agreements

Under validation agreements, inventors and businesses are provided with a simple, timely and cost-efficient way of achieving high-level protection for an invention in the validation state, based on one single European patent application and without having to file a corresponding national patent application. In addition to making these countries’ markets more attractive to holders of European patents, validation agreements can help to attract foreign investment and facilitate technology transfer and also contribute to the overall sustainability of the patent system.