The Counselor to the President of the Eurasian Patent Office (EAPO) delivered a speech at the session "Intellectual Property as a Development Factor for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Regional Competitiveness" within the Council of Regions of "OPORA RUSSIA" in Ryazan. In his report, he presented the advantages of the regional patent system for SMEs, which can use IP tools no less effectively than large corporations.

"Unfortunately, there is still a public perception that only large corporations can afford IP protection. They block the work of their business competitors with their patent portfolios and monopolize markets," stated Armen Azizyan. But not only large companies can use these tools. SMEs should master this mechanism and "game rules" in order to take maximum advantage of the unique technical and creative products that they produce..

The Counselor to the President underlined that proper IP legal protection should necessarily be a part of the SME development strategy, scaling their businesses and entering the markets of neighboring countries. It is precisely intangible assets that are of core value today. Breakthrough technology, attractive design, and a recognizable brand are highly liquid assets that small and medium-sized businesses can manage for their own benefit due to management flexibility and ease of adaptation to market changes.

Armen Azizyan also briefly presented the main advantages of Eurasian patents valid on the territory of eight states, the privileges for businesses from the EAPO Member States, and the services that the EAPO can provide to small businesses.

Natalia Zolotykh, Vice President of "OPORA RUSSIA", moderated the session "Intellectual Property as a Development Factor for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Regional Competitiveness". Dmitry Travnikov, Head of Rospatent Department for Provision of State Services; Irina Ilyina, Director of the Russian Research Institute of Economics, Politics and Law in Science and Technology; Anna Kurapova, Head of the Individualization Means Department of the Company of Patent Attorneys Transtechnology, Patent Attorney, PhD in Law, and others shared their expertise. The Governor of the Ryazan region, Pavel Malkov, was the guest of honor at the Council of Regions.

The Council of Regions is a traditional event of the Russian non-governmental association of small and medium businesses "OPORA RUSSIA" for the interaction of businesses from different regions with representatives of government authorities, business support infrastructure, the banking sector, and other members of the business community.