This article analyses the position of European Parliament (EP) in the question of the lasting from 2010 association process of the South Caucasus countries with the EU. The process is aimed at the establishment of close, extensive political and economic cooperation of the countries with the EU. The author stresses the importance attached by EP to the association negotiations, which according to the Parliament should have a crucial impact on the democratization process in Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia. It should be underlined that the development of democracy in those EU’s partner countries is of special interest to EP, which in recognition of their geopolitical importance with its numerous resolutions requires making closer relations with them and even providing the countries with a potential European perspective (Georgia). However the more extensive cooperation of the EU with the countries is made dependent by EP on the incorporation by Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia of the values defined as European (democracy, rule of law, protection of human rights etc.). That is why so important for EP are the questions of human rights observance, observance of the rules of democracy and law, including transparency and fairness of the processes in the countries. In case of violating rules constituting foundations for democratic and lawful country’s functioning, EP responds in a determined way and usually takes un unambiguous stand quite often contrasting with more “weighted” opinions of other Union institutions.

An Improvement of Protection of Industrial Designs in Conditions of Reforming the National Legislation

In conditions of construction and functioning of innovative model of economy, of a necessity of creation and introduction of new technics and advanced technologies in manufacture the right to results of scientific and technical creativity acquires importance. The vast majority of scientific works of authors devoted to an analysis of the legal protection of industrial property, concerns only certain aspects of problematic issues of legal regulation of relations arising in the protection of industrial designs in the conditions of European integration of Ukraine. Therefore, there is a need for theoretical research on issues related to the improvement of Ukrainian legislation in this area to the legislation of the European Union. The article considers the problems of bringing the institute of industrial designs of Ukraine in line with the legislation of the European Union. The ways of improvement of the legislation of Ukraine in the field of protection of the rights to industrial designs to the European norms are offered. The concept of „industrial design” in the relevant national legislation has been improved. Emphasis is placed on the expediency of expanding the range of products, an appearance of which may receive legal protection in Ukraine as industrial designs. It is proposed to harmonize the relevant national legislation with the Civil Code of Ukraine on the validity of intellectual property rights to registered and unregistered industrial designs. It is concluded that Ukraine’s aspiration for European integration presupposes taking into account the positive experience of the relevant legislation of the European Union member states. Since measures aimed at introducing effective mechanisms for the protection of rights to industrial property objects are determined by the course of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, therefore they are determined by the need to comply with European norms for such protection. However, it is emphasized that it is important not just to copy certain approaches to the protection of industrial property rights, which are enshrined in European Union law, but a systematic scientific approach to internal coherence and consideration of all elements of positive national law. The strength of scientific and technical, economic and legal development of Ukraine and the formation of an effective innovative model of the national economy depends on this.