First Preparatory Meeting of the 25th Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
Economic and Environmental Forum dedicated to “Greening the economy and building partnerships” (Vienna, Austria, 23-24 January 2017)
The IPR Group CEO Leonid Kistersky was invited to attend First Preparatory Meeting of the 25th Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Economic and Environmental Forum dedicated to “Greening the economy and building partnerships”, which took place in Vienna, Austria on 23-24 January 2017. The Forum was organized by the 2017 Austrian OSCE Chairmanship in co-operation with the Office of the Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA).
The objectives of the Forum were to identify needs and priorities, to raise awareness and to stimulate the political will of the 57 member countries in dealing with economic, environmental and security related challenges, to share best practices, as well as to provide a platform for dialogue with representatives of International Organizations, the business and academic communities, and civil society.
The Forum key tasks were two-fold: to inject political stimulus into the debate; and to help draft recommendations and define follow-up action on such issues as energy security, migration, water management and good governance. Economic and social disparities, lack of rule of law, weak governance, corruption, widespread poverty and high unemployment are among the factors that contribute to illegal economic activities and other threats to security and stability in the OSCE region.
The OSCE stimulates sustainable economic growth and fosters international economic co-operation on a variety of issues to counter these threats. Among the instruments innovative based high technologies and intellectual property protection and commercialization should of the highest priority for the future sustainable development. The OSCE Secretariat continuously supports participating States in implementing their commitments in the economic sphere and translating them into national policies in four main areas:
1. Good governance and anti-corruption;
2. Anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism;
3. Transport, trade and border crossing facilitation;
4. Labor migration.
Dr. Kistersky twice took the floor in the area of Good Governance (GG) and made a number of concrete proposals aimed at improving the situation, which were included in the Forum’s report as recommendations. In particular, Dr. Kistersky noted the important role of the OSCE in improving GG for market democratic reforms and proposed to introduce into the practice of education a program on ethical norms in the economy and business environment as well as strengthening intellectual property rights protection. This proposal was supported by all participants and included in the report of the Forum. Following the discussion of this proposal the representative of the IPR Group committed to present concrete proposals to the OSCE office in Ukraine and to prepare an appropriate textbook.
On the photo (from left to right):
Dr. Leonid Kistersky (CEO, IPR GROUP);
Mykhailo Nepran (First Vise-President, Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry);
Yaroslav Yurtsaba (Nation Project Manager, The OSCE Project Coordinator in Ukraine);
Dr. Virginija Kleveckiene (Counsellor, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Lithuania to the International Organizations in Vienna);
Vaidotas Verba (Ambassador, The OSCE Project Coordinator in Ukraine).
In the framework of the Forum, on 25 January 2017 Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, in partnership with the Austrian Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy, the Enterprise Europe Network Austria (EEN) as well as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on the occasion of Austria’s 2017 OSCE Chairmanship organized a conference “Partnership and Innovation for Sustainable Economies”. The conference provided a new perspective on the latest developments in the sectors of green and new environmental technologies as well as Information Communication Technologies (ICTs). Several companies based in OSCE participating States specializing in environmental technologies and in ICTs, participated in the conference, presented their innovative technologies making also emphasis on the necessity of technology protection by patenting and preventing infringements of intellectual property rights.
