Summary

In 1996, the Riigikogu passed four Acts concerning accession to international agreements concluded under the auspices of WIPO. Accession to these agreements did not bring about any supplementary financial obligations for Estonia since a common membership fee for WIPO and the unions under its administration has been effective for Estonia since 1994. The Act Concerning Accession to the Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of Registration of Marks was passed by the Riigikogu first. This agreement entered into force on 27 May 1996 with respect to Estonia. However, it should be pointed out that the Nice classification has been applied in Estonia for four years already. The Strasbourg Agreement Concerning the International Patent Classification will enter into force on 27 February 1997 with respect to Estonia. The Estonian version of the IPC will be prepared although the IPC has been used in practice since 1994 when the Patent Act and Utility Models Act entered into force. The Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure will enter into force on 14 September 1997 with respect to Estonia. The Estonian Patent Act will also enter into full force as of this date. Thus, the latter agreement will facilitate the legal protection of inventions. The Locarno Agreement Establishing an International Classification for Industrial Designs entered into force on 31 October 1996 with respect to Estonia. Unfortunately Estonia has still no industrial designs Act. The corresponding bill is in preparation by the Patent Office and is expected to be passed in the first half of 1997.