Yesterday, the representatives of the Industrial Property Agency (API) hosted a high-level delegation from the Austrian Patent Office (APO) as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation between the two institutions.
The Austrian Patent Office delegation consisted of Stefan Harasek, President; Thomas Fellner, Deputy President; Ursula Höfermayer, Head of the Intellectual Property Academy and Interim Head of Strategy; and Fridolin Egerer, International Relations Officer.
The meeting was held within the framework of the Memorandum of Cooperation signed between the Industrial Property Agency—which operates under the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship, Trade, and Innovation (MIETI)—and the Austrian Patent Office in Vienna, with a focus on the implementation of the agreement and future steps for cooperation in the field of patents.
Discussions during the meeting covered the implementation of services outlined in the memorandum, including “state-of-the-art” searches and the preparation of professional opinions regarding the novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability of inventions.
Opportunities were also discussed for the participation of the API and its staff in activities, training sessions, and initiatives organised by the Austrian Patent Office, which would contribute to professional capacity building, the exchange of expertise, and familiarisation with best practices in the fields of patents and industrial property.
The parties expressed their readiness to continue cooperation and to identify concrete forms of institutional and professional support aimed at advancing the patent system, strengthening the API’s capacities, and providing higher-quality services to innovators, inventors, and businesses in the Republic of Kosovo.
The visit by the Austrian Patent Office delegation represents a direct continuation of the cooperation initiated with the signing of the Memorandum and provides an opportunity to determine future steps for implementing and expanding this partnership.
