From March 4 to 6, 2025, a large-scale Congress of Leaders of "OPORA RUSSIA" and the Association "NP OPORA" was held in Irkutsk Region, bringing together over 500 participants — representatives of business, federal and regional authorities, financial institutions, and public associations. During the event, eight specialized sessions were conducted, dedicated to the most pressing issues of modern entrepreneurship:
- Foreign economic activity in the face of new challenges;
- Protection of entrepreneurs' rights and legislative improvements;
- Intellectual property and combating patent trolling;
- Support for the defense-industrial complex;
- Implementation of artificial intelligence in manufacturing;
- Effective work with marketplaces and digital platforms.
One of the key sessions was dedicated to "Combating Trolling in Intellectual Property," led by Natalia Zolotykh, Vice President of "OPORA RUSSIA" and Chairperson of the Public Council under Rospatent.
The session addressed urgent questions:
- Who are patent trolls and how do they exploit intellectual property mechanisms?
- Real cases from the alcohol and souvenir industries;
- Effective ways to protect businesses from unscrupulous rights holders.
Experts such as Igor Khavsky (brewery industry) and Grigory Kuzmin (author tourism) provided examples where dishonest rights holders demanded compensation amounts reaching tens of millions of rubles.
Patent attorney Anna Kurapova detailed measures for protection:
- Mandatory patent searches before launching products;
- Registration of trademarks and patents;
- Use of legal mechanisms against abuses.
"Vlasta-Consulting," as an expert in intellectual property protection, supports "OPORA RUSSIA's" position on the necessity of creating a safe business environment where competition is based on principles of fairness and respect for intellectual property.
In the case of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), we believe it is essential to conduct informational work that helps business representatives understand legislative requirements. This will enable them to minimize risks not only related to violations of their IP objects but also to avoid claims from other market participants by developing a competent IP strategy.
Participation in events like the "OPORA RUSSIA" Congress provides an opportunity not only to adopt best practices but also to strengthen partnership ties. "Vlasta-Consulting" will continue actively engaging in dialogue with the business community and government structures to promote principles of fair entrepreneurship.
