Uredba o ratifikaciji Sporazuma o sodelovanju na področju patentov med Vlado Republike Slovenije in Evropsko patentno organizacijo

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA ("Slovenia"), represented by Dr. Rado Bohinc, Minister of Science and Technology

and

THE EUROPEAN PATENT ORGANISATION ("the Organisation"), represented by Dr. h. c. Paul Braendli, President of the European Patent Office ("EPO")

HAVING REGARD

to the Convention on the Grant of European Patents of 5 October 1973 ("European Patent Convention") and, in particular, Article 33 (4) thereof,

to Slovenia's Law on Industrial Property of 20 March 1992,

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the steps already taken by Slovenia to provide effective protection for industrial property, inter alia by adapting its patent legislation to the level of protection existing in the Member States of the European Patent Organisation,

CONVINCED

that cooperation between the Organisation and Slovenia is of mutual interest and will strengthen the protection of industrial property in Europe,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

The contracting parties shall work together within the scope of this Agreement to develop further the infrastructure for an efficient patent system in Slovenia.

Within the scope of its capabilities the Organisation shall assist Slovenia particularly in

(a) providing basic and further training for the staff at the Office of the Republic of Slovenia for the Protection of Industrial Property ("Slovenian Office") and employees of other government bodies whose work involves patent matters;

(b) building up and organising its system of patent attorneys;

(c) building up an appropriate documentation for patent information services;

(d) producing the Slovenian Office's official publications;

(e) building up a patent information system;

(f) building up data-processing systems for the patent grant procedure and administration of patents.

(1) The contracting parties shall regularly exchange information on legal developments relating to their respective patent system.

(2) If requested by Slovenia to do so, the Organisation shall give advice on proposals for enacting or amending legal provisions relating to the Slovenian patent system.

(3) Should Slovenia provide for a system enabling the effects of European patents to be extended to its territory, the Organisation shall cooperate with the Slovenian Office in accordance with a special agreement implementing such a system.

(1) A joint committee shall be set up to discuss all matters arising from this Agreement and its implementation. The committee shall be composed of representatives of the EPO and the Slovenian Office. Representatives of other government bodies involved in or directly affected by the implementation of the Agreement may be consulted.

(2) The, committee shall meet on the initiative of either the President of the Slovenian Office or the President of the EPO. The agenda for each meeting, and the venue and date thereof, shall be fixed by agreement between the Presidents of the two Offices.

(1) The tasks incurred by the contracting parties in consequence of this Agreement shall be carried out by the EPO and the Slovenian Office. The EPO may entrust individual tasks to the Patent Offices of the Contracting States to the European Patent Convention, subject to their consent.

(2) The details of the implementation of this Agreement shall be fixed by agreement between the President of the Slovenian Office and the President of the EPO.

At the request of the Organisation of of Slovenia, the contracting parties shall enter into negotiations on amending this Agreement.

This Agreement shall be concluded for a period of five years and shall be renewable for further periods of two years.

The date on which this Agreement enters into force shall be determined by an exchange of notes between Slovenia's Minister tor Foreign Affairs and the President of the EPO.

Done at Ljubljana on 2 July 1993 in two originals in the Slovenian, German, English and French language, each text being equally authentic.