INTA Holds First Ever Policy Dialogue in Kazakhstan

INTA held its first intellectual property (IP) dialogue in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in September. The event was hosted by local INTA member firm Bolotov & Partners with the support of Anticounterfeiting Committee member Dmitry Markanov (PATENTUS, Russia). The dialogue laid the foundation for a cooperative relationship between INTA and key stakeholders in the country.

The event offered a constructive platform for candid discussions on the best regional practices in combating the illegal circulation of industrial products, eliminating counterfeits in the market, and protecting the rights of brand owners and consumers.

Balayim Kesebayeva (Justice Department of Almaty City, Kazakhstan) and Yuri Bolotov (Bolotov & Partners, Kazakhstan) delivered opening remarks, with Mr. Bolotov later providing a presentation on the linguistic aspects of trademarks. INTA’s Chief Representative Officer Europe and Intergovernmental Organizations, Tat-Tienne Louembe, briefed the participants on the Association’s global objectives and Mr. Markanov gave an update on the Anticounterfeiting Committee’s recent activities. Other speakers included government officials from both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, regional brand owners from various industries, and legal practitioners.

The Kazakh National Institute of Intellectual Property (NIIP, or KazPatent) provided an update on its efforts to improve the legislative arsenal to boost IP protection in the country. Representative Tatiana Gorbunova also highlighted KazPatent’s current areas of focus and its perspectives on NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and the future of Class 9.

Harmonization of Trademark Law and Practice Committee member Rafael Garutti (CNV Advocagos, Brazil) presented INTA’s position, calling for a restructuring of Class 9 of the Nice Classification system.

Barbara Porcario (Achaval Porcario, Argentina), Chair of the Emerging Issues Committee—Climate Change and Trademarks Subcommittee, provided a deeper dive into INTA’s white papers on Trademarks in the Metaverse and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs): A Report From INTA.

Participants concluded there was a need for continued conversation on a broad range of IP-related topics in the region. INTA will continue to be a strong advocate for IP rights in Kazakhstan and to provide a platform for stakeholder engagement.

INTA’s Europe Representative Office, based in Brussels, Belgium, represents the Association’s members across Europe (which includes the European Union, non-EU member states, and Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States). Working in collaboration with staff at INTA’s headquarters in New York City, the Europe Representative Office leads the Association’s policy, membership, marketing, and communications initiatives throughout the region. To learn more about INTA’s activities in Europe, please contact INTA Chief Europe Representative Officer Tat-Tienne Louembe and follow us on Twitter. 

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