Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 8 August, the President of Uzbekistan signed a law aimed at strengthening intellectual property protection, the press service of the Ministry of Justice reported.

The document introduces a number of amendments simplifying the registration of intellectual property objects. Protection documents confirming rights will be automatically assigned a unified QR code. The deadline for paying the state fee for registration can be extended from three to six months for an additional charge of 50% of the patent fee.

The requirement to provide a certificate of state fee payment when registering industrial property objects is canceled. The list of documents required for registering new varieties of agricultural crops and animals developed through breeding is also reduced.

The review period for applications to register computer programs and databases will be 10 days, while the examination of designations for the name of the place of origin of a product will be conducted within one month.

The law increases liability for violations in the intellectual property field. Criminal liability is introduced for infringement of property rights related to trademarks, software, inventions, industrial designs, and other objects. Fines for violations of copyright and related rights are increased, and administrative liability is introduced for breaches in the areas of breeding and integrated circuit topology.

The authority of justice bodies to inspect and seize counterfeit goods, remove them from circulation, and destroy them is separately established. The amendments will come into force three months after official publication.