BRICS

BRICS is an informal interstate alliance comprising the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People's Republic of China and (since December 2010) the Republic of South Africa.

On March 26-27, 2013 in Durban (South Africa) the 5th BRICS Summit "BRICS and Africa: partnership for development, integration and industrialization", during which the BRICS Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework was adopted with the provision 4.5 on cooperation in the IP field.

On May 15-16, 2013 in Johannesburg (South Africa) the Heads of BRICS IP Offices meeting was held, targeting the implementation of the Durban BRICS summit results. During the meeting the parties discussed and approved the BRICS IP Offices Cooperation Roadmap, which includes the following cooperation streams:

• quality enhancement of the provided services to the applicants regarding patent processes of the IP objects;

• national IP strategies and IP strategies for enterprises;

• training of the IP Offices staff;

• promotion of public awareness on IP;

• collaboration in international fora;

• information exchange of national legislation and practice, exchange of patent documentation;

• IP examiner exchange.

Rospatent is a leading office for the cooperation stream "Training of the IP staff". Since 2016 under the initiative of Rospatent the annual Examiners' Training Program has been organized by the chair IP Office. Rospatent as the leading office provides its organizational support and assistance.

In 2017 Rospatent lauched the online courses for the BRICS IP examiners on the premises of the Russian State Academy of Intellectual Property (RSAIP).

On March 27, 2018, the joint website of the BRICS IP Offices was launched, the website contains the information about joint initiatives of the Offices, announcements and news about mutual events.

The BRICS IP Offices hold the meetings of the Heads and of the focal points twice a year.