On 15 January 2024, the validation agreement between the European Patent Organisation and Georgia entered into force. Inventors and businesses can now validate European patent applications and patents granted by the European Patent Office (EPO) in Georgia under the country’s national law. Validated patents have the same effect and are subject to the same conditions as Georgian national patents.
The agreement was signed on 31 October 2019. It is the fifth validation agreement to enter into force, following those with Morocco, the Republic of Moldova, Tunisia and Cambodia. Together with the extension agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina, the total number of countries in which patent protection can be obtained on the basis of a single European patent application has risen to 45.
Under validation agreements, applicants obtain high-level protection in the validation state through one European patent application, without the need to file a separate national application. This approach reduces costs and administrative complexity while making the markets of the validation states more attractive to holders of European patents. The agreements also support technology transfer, help attract foreign investment, and contribute to the sustainability of national patent systems.
The entry into force of the agreement marks a practical step toward closer alignment between the European patent system and Georgia’s intellectual property framework, offering applicants a more efficient route to protection in the Georgian market.
https://www.epo.org/en/news-events/news/validation-agreement-georgia-enters-force