The regional event with international participation “The Third Edition of the Intellectual Property (IP) in the Digital Economy for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) Conference IP and Interactive Entertainment” hosted by the Romanian-American University in Bucharest between the 24-24 October 2018, represented a reference point both with regards to participation of the national academic and university environment, and from the point of view of profile industry officials and representatives.
Relevant was the participation of two Secretaries of State, one from the Ministry for Culture and National Identity, respectively Mr. Ștefan Răzvan Rab, and the President of the National Office for Gambling, Mr. Sebastian Marius Ionescu, the participation of the directors of the Romanian Office for Copyright, Mr. Doru Adrian Păunescu and on behalf of the State Office for Inventions and Brands, Mr. Adrian Negoiță, the representative of the C.N. Loteria Română S.A. (National Lottery) Mr. Director Dragoș Nicola-Bădiță, and of the representative of the Global Organization for Intellectual Property, Mrs. Donna Hill and experts David Greenspan – university professor at the Santa Clara University Law School in the U.S. and Mr. Andrea Rizzi.
Intellectual Property
The main theme which was approached during the Conference was that of the entertainment industry, with two of the most important branches, as we call them: gambling and the video game industry. It is for the first time that the two industries are at a tie and succeed in objectively presenting the financial achievements (nationally and globally), the opportunities offered by the use of consecrated intellectual property rights, but also the difficulties which came to be as a result of specific legislative, fiscal and technical regulations.
As the themes were presented by the lecturers, it was ascertained that there are similarities between the two industries, respectively that they address “adrenaline” consumers, that their objective is being as loyal as possible to the surrounding reality, their concern for the clients and the huge amounts of money invested and which allow for dazzling turnovers, to which we add globalization – the factor which allows an unimpeded development of such businesses. Concurrently, the less appealing aspects of such businesses were also discussed, that is addictions which are developed by the two industries if measures are not applied as to reduce the social impact of these activities, aspects regarding disloyal competition, falsification and pirating, all sorts of frauds, through methods which get more and more ingenious and other aspects of interest.
Intellectual Property
From the very beginning of the Conference works, at the opening of the panel dedicated to video games, the ONJN President’s presentation was punctual, professional, and drew attention through pragmatism, given the proposal to institute a National Registry of Computer Programs, together with ORDA, programs which are used in the national gambling industry.
Furthermore, they rose interest and proved that they hold a good knowledge of the field, the presentation of the “NOVOMATIC” group’s representative, Mrs. Mioara Cocea – regarding falsification and pirating in the field of computer programs used on slot machines, of the BBSC representative, Mr. Gen. Dir. Eng. Radu Bolcan – regarding the practical issues resulting from the technical assessment of gaming means which use computer programs, and that of the “Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen” representative, Mrs. Attorney Cosmina Simion, who succeeded a review of the most important legislative regulations regarding the authorized games / social games vs. gambling games.
Intellectual Property
With regards to the presentation of the practical aspects which aim at the violation of intellectual property rights specific to the gambling industry, Mr. Attorney Prof. Dr. Marius Pantea, professionally pointed out the current issues, presented practical solution and concluded through the proposal to initiate a legislative regulation at international level which would allow the easy registration of computer programs and of other intellectual property rights with which the two industries work, as well as the flexibility of the protection terms which are to be useful and in accordance with the reality of today’s digitized world. This aspect was received with great interest by the participants, and the OMPI representative promised that she shall get involved in identifying a solution which shall allow a fast registration and for the shorter terms of intellectual property rights specific to the two industries.
The prevention and combat of the specific criminal acts have been pointed out by the representative of the General Prosecution’s Office, Mrs. prosecutor Monica Pop and the representative of the Directorate for the Investigation of Economic Criminal Activity within the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police, Mr. Chief Police Commissary Răzvan Murariu.
The specialized auditorium to which participated the representatives of the profile associations, those from the gambling industry and the video game industry, but also people from the university environment, specialists, practitioners, industrial property counselors, jurists, police officers, members of the Bar, specialists in the financial – fiscal field, the media and so on, addressed questions from daily reality, commented on situations and requested solution for general and punctual issues of order, in a few words: they actively participated to the development of the conference.
Intellectual Property
The representatives of the hosts, the Dean of the Law School and the URA Chancellor were active and present, they helped the successful development of these papers and have succeeded a seamless of the Conference and deserve sincere thanks for the professional mode and the academic level of development of the event, alongside the co-organizers: WIPO, ORDA, OSIM and the Law Office “Dr. Pantea Cezar Marius”`, the sponsors (NOVOMATIC, “Asociaţia Organizatorilor de Jocuri de Noroc la Distanţă” (Association of Remote Gambling Organizers), “Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen”, and “BBSC”), and media partners “Casino Inside”, “Universul Juridic”, and “Capital”.
The presentation of the reality of the two industries and the concrete manner through which the intellectual property rights influence the functioning and continuous development of said industries, the professional approach made by lecturers, the realist interventions of the auditorium, the support of the decision factors implicated in this field of entertaining services, made the even into a true success, and the foreign representatives are sure that our country treats this field with great attention and responsibility.
