The International Conference on Trade Aspects of Intellectual Property took place in Minsk on November 21, 2007.

The International Conference on Trade Aspects of Intellectual Property, jointly organized by the State Committee on Science and Technologies of the Republic of Belarus, the National Center of Intellectual Property and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) was held at the National Library of Belarus and attended by high-level policy makers, government ministers, national administrations, senior executives from judiciary, trade, industry, businesses, research and development and academic organizations, representatives of the Eurasian Patent Organization and ROSPATENT.

The aim of the conference was to underline the critical importance of IP in promoting trade and developing competitive commercial advantage.

Participants at the conference concluded with agreement that IP is an essential element in boosting economic, social and cultural development and wealth creation. They expressed a high opinion of current activities in Belarus aimed to upgrade national IP legislation, develop territorial IP infrastructure, promote better understanding of the role and impact of IP.

In the framework of the conference the Belarusian National Technical University was awarded with the WIPO Trophy for Innovative Enterprises for its significant contribution to research and scientific development through an intensive use of IP, and V.Ya. Prushak, technical director of the Soligorsk Institute of Resource-Saving Problems, - with the WIPO Medal for Outstanding Inventor for his outstanding achievement in the field of mechanical engineering for mining.