The recent “Protection of IP in Digital Environment” conference, held on March 7th at Belgrade’s Hotel Mona Plaza, proudly co-organized by MSA IP, Motsnyi Legal, Bridge Brand Protection, and Software Protection Association – LegaliS, proved a resounding success. With over 100 attendees representing various European countries and the local region, the conference reaffirmed Belgrade’s position as a center for intellectual property discussions.
The conference served as a valuable forum for insightful discussions on the topic of safeguarding intellectual property in the contemporary digital environment. Engaging presentations and panel sessions explored a multitude of critical issues, fostering a stimulating exchange of ideas among attendees.
The agenda focused on three key areas: domain name disputes, online brand protection, and software protection.
The first panel, moderated by Igor Motsnyi (Motsnyi Legal, UDRP panelist and URS examiner, Serbia), delved into the complexities of domain name disputes and the abuse of the Domain Name System (DNS). Panelists included Lenka Nahlovska (Secretary General and Head of Domain Name Dispute Resolution at the Czech Arbitration Court, Czechia), Ivett Paulovics (Attorney at Law, URS case manager, UDRP and DRP panelist, Italy), Ganna Prokhorova (Mamunya IP, URS examiner, UDRP and DRP panelist, Ukraine), and MSA’s Stefan Bojovic (UDRP panelist, Serbia). Their combined expertise offered valuable perspectives on navigating domain name disputes and combating DNS abuse.
Second panel, led by industry expert Jerome Sicard (Bridge BP, UK), explored strategies for safeguarding brands in the digital space. Panelists like Alessandra Chies (Barzanò & Zanardo, China IP and Brand Protection Chief Counsel, Italy) and Pietro Gagliano (Countercheck, Germany) shared insights on managing brand protection (with a special interest on China) as well as utilizing online monitoring tools and AI breakthrough technologies. Ivan Kadic (Bridge BP, Serbia) provided additional expertise on technological solutions for online brand protection.
The final panel was moderated by MSA’s own Milica Makevic Stanojevic, and addressed software protection and the always-ongoing fight against software piracy. Antonio D’Onofrio (Dassault Systems Worldwide Raid and Cyber Director, Italy) and Sanja Timotijevic (Microsoft Corporation EMEA Antipiracy Lead, Serbia) offered perspectives on software licensing compliance and anti-piracy efforts. Legal expertise was provided by Mikhail Bashirov (Bashirov and Partners, Serbia) and Anja Cernoh (LegaliS director, Serbia), who discussed the legal framework surrounding software protection, copyright protection awareness and enforcement strategies.
The conference’s success can be attributed to the diverse expertise of the panelists and engaging discussions that fostered a deeper understanding of intellectual property challenges in the digital age.
We extend our sincere gratitude to all participants, moderators, and panelists whose contributions encouraged these fruitful exchanges. We also recognize the invaluable support of co-organizers, and acknowledge the significant contributions of our esteemed sponsors, united-domains AG and NKO Partners.
The overwhelmingly positive feedback has already fueled discussions for an expanded conference in 2025, which we are currently planning in collaboration with our partners. Further details regarding the next iteration of this important event will be announced in due course.
