Forms of intellectual property protection

Russia is currently marked out by being active in making substantial changes to its legislation. Many of these have to do with growing integration in international economic, financial, scientific and legal processes. However, the new developments go beyond those directly required for joining international conventions or organisations, and are also due to various institutions filtering their way into the country’s social and political structures.

Most forms of intellectual property protection in Russia are regulated by the Civil Code, which is a fairly developed structure.

In particular, the Civil Code has provisions that protect:

• copyrighted items, including computer software and databases;
• items protected by related rights including both traditional items such as performances, phonograms and programme broadcasting, and new items, such as database content and publishers’ rights;
• patent law items, including inventions, utility models and industrial designs;
• know-how;
• particular achievements;
• layout designs of integrated circuits;
• company names (only for commercial legal entities);
• trademarks and service marks;
• trade names of enterprises; and
• geographical indications (which have a number of differences from geographical names).