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Annual Technical Report 2011 on Patent Information Activities submitted by EAPO (CWS/ATR/PI/2011/EA)

Where URLs are requested below, it is preferred that either URLs which are likely to remain stable over time (three years or more) are provided, or home (main) page URLs are provided with a short explanation of how to access the corresponding information.

The term "patent" covers utility models and Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs). Offices which issue design patents should report their design patent information activities in their Annual Technical Reports on Industrial Design Information Activities.

I. Evolution of patent activities

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Interface in Russian: http://www.eapo.org/rus/ea/about/stat.html;
Interface in English http://www.eapo.org/eng/ea/about/stat.html

II. Matters concerning the generation, reproduction, distribution and use of primary and secondary sources of patent information

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EAPO issues the following publications in the field of patent information:
- EAPO Gazette (optical disc, Web-site)
- Descriptions to Eurasian Applications (optical disc)
- Descriptions to Eurasian Patents (optical disc)
- Legislative, normative-methodical and reference documentation of the EAPO (optical disc)
- Eurasian Applications and Patents, Summary index (optical disc)
- Annual Report (paper, Web-site)

Main types of announcements of the Office in the field of patent information

EAPO issues the following procedural announcements in the field of patent information:

Applications:
Event code Event description
BZ2A Eurasian patent applications published with a search report (A1 publication)
BZ1A Eurasian patent applications published without a search report (A2 publication)
EZ2A Separate publication of a search report (A3 publication)
HZ9A Publication of corrected Eurasian application (first page, A8 publication)
HH9A Publication of corrected Eurasian application (A9 publication)
FA9A Withdrawal of a Eurasian application
NF9A Restoration of lapsed right to a Eurasian application
PD1A Registration of transfer of a Eurasian application by order of succession in title
PC1A Registration of transfer of a Eurasian application by force of assignment
HC1A (2A) Change in name of an applicant in a Eurasian application
HM1A (2A) Change in composition of inventors in a published Eurasian application
PZ1A Registration of pledge of right to a Eurasian application
HK9A Corrections to the Gazette related to the published Eurasian Applications (bib. data, abstract)

Patents:
FG4A Eurasian patents (B1 publication)
DZ4A Eurasian patent in respect to which the decision of amendment of claims was made (publication of claims of B2 document in the Gazette)
TZ4А Publication of corrected Eurasian patent (first page, B8 publication)
TH4А Publication of corrected Eurasian patent (B9 publication)
LD4A Reissued description of invention to Eurasian patent (B2 publication)
ММ4А Lapse of a Eurasian patent in Contracting States due to non-payment of renewal fees within the established period
PC4A Registration of transfer of a Eurasian patent by assignment
PD4A Registration of transfer of a Eurasian patent in accordance with the succession in title
NF4A Restoration of lapsed right to a Eurasian patent
MC4A Revocation of a Eurasian patent in full under opposition procedure (administrative revocation)
MF4A Revocation of a Eurasian patent in full
MA4A Revocation of a Eurasian patent at the owner's request filed with the EAPO
MH4A Revocation of a Eurasian patent in part
TB4A Amendment in the composition of inventors in a published Eurasian patent
TK4A Corrections to the Gazette related to the published Eurasian patents
QB4A Registration of a license in a Contracting State
QC4A Termination of a registered license in a Contracting State
RH4A Grant of a duplicate certificate of a Eurasian title of protection
TC4A Change in name of a patent proprietor in a Eurasian patent
PZ4A Registration of pledge of right to a Eurasian patent
ND4A Extension of term of a Eurasian patent
QZ4A Registered alterations and amendments to the license agreement
RL4A Decisions of a court or other competent authority in respect to the Eurasian patent

Announcements of the Office of procedural, legal and norm-setting kind are published in EAPO Gazette and reflected in the Web register of patents; more general announcements can be also found at Web-site of EAPO at: www.eapo.org.

Mass storage media used (paper, microforms, optical storage, etc.)

Patent information of the EAPO is provided on digital media only: optical discs (CD, DVD-ROMs) and online resources are used to distribute data

Type of announcement, Carrier (Language)
EAPO Gazette, CD-ROM, also available on-line (Russian)
Descriptions in Eurasian Applications, DVD-ROM or CD-ROM (Russian)
Descriptions in Eurasian Patents, CD-ROM (Russian, Bibliographic Data and Abstracts in English)
Legislative, normative-methodical and reference documentation of the EAPO, CD-ROM (Russian/English)
Eurasian Applications and Patents, Summary index, DVD-ROM (Russian)
Annual Report, paper, also available on-line (Russian/English)
Eurasian Patent Register, available on-line

Word processing and office automation

Microsoft Word 2003 text processor is used for the preparation of texts of patent documents for publication (make-up, proofreading). Specific add-ons were developed by EAPO to automate routine operations of document markup and quality control (e.g. sub-documents markup, claims numbering control, invalid characters detection, typical OCR errors detection). Automated operations at this stage are controlled by HIVE system. At further stages all prepared texts are processed to destination formats (XML, PDF, Gazette makeup, first pages makeup) automatically by HIVE system.
Eurasian continues to use web-services technology "Publication Server" and "Open Patent Services".
XML-based format derived using the "Open Patent Services" information gives additional possibilities for its use in other existing automation systems.
EAPO has finished pilot operation of e-Phoenix (EPO product), since 2011 all patent information is kept in EAPO databases in electronic form.

(New) techniques used for the generation of patent information (printing, recording, photocomposing, Optical Character Recognition (OCR), etc.)

EAPO issues its official publications using own data processing and publishing facilities. The publication technology involves scanning (if a document was filed on paper), optical character recognition, editing, proofreading, markup and make-up. All data used for publications (including bibliographic data in Russian and English, facsimile pages, full-text descriptions, first pages, blueprints etc.) is stored in one database (HIVE system, outsourced for EAPO). Information is extracted from the database in required formats, including PDF and XML. HIVE also fully supports current workflow and data/document flow and provides broad automation of everyday operations at every workplace of publication divisions.
The main output data formats in HIVE system are ST.36 XML and PDF with embedded bookmarks.

URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that provide access to online publication of patent documents and gazettes, and to other primary and secondary sources of patent information, including patent publication servers and download of bulk patent data

Primary sources:
http://www.eapo.org/rus/reestr/start.php3 - Register of Eurasian Patents http://www.eapo.org/rus/bulletin/index.html - Gazette
http://www.eapatis.com/ - descriptions to Eurasian applications and patents
http://www.eapo.org/rus/ea/eapatis/- full descriptions of published applications and patents (numeric search only)

Secondary sources:
Espacenet:
http://worldwide.espacenet.com/
http://ea.espacenet.com

III. Matters concerning abstracting, classifying, reclassifying and indexing of technical information contained in patent documents

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Being a patent office whose documentation is included in the PCT minimum, EAPO conducts classification and reclassification of published patent documents in accordance with an advanced level of the current International Patent Classification (IPC) version.
Information about published Eurasian patent documents including classifying indexes is sent to EPO to be included into the database of classified patent documents (MCD).

Coordinate indexing (domestic deep indexing systems, keyword indexing)

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In the framework of the present data processing workflow the EAPO produces the following patent information:
Applications (A-kind): bibliographic data in Russian including abstract, facsimile pages of description.
Patents (B-kind): bibliographic data in Russian including abstract, bibliographic data in English including abstract (for non-official use only), full text (symbol-coded) of description.
Bibliographic data and full texts are stored in HIVE system. The system allows extracting data in required format for further loading to other external search systems. For example, this extracted data is used in EAPATIS and in Esp@cenet.
The data is stored in a structured way and contains extensive markup that allows production of XML data which can be used most effectively for data analysis and indexing.

IV. Search file establishment and upkeep

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EAPO has developed a virtual patent-information depository comprising of local and external databases (DB) of patent documentation and non-patent literature integrated with each other. Access to the DBs and search in them is realized on the basis of a "one-window principle" via the EAPATIS system. Since 2003 it has been in the open access via the Internet for EAPO member-states. In 2004-2005 access was provided also to patent offices of Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Georgia.
Local DBs are formed by downloading of information from CD/DVD discs containing patent documentation, data conversion and arranging it in a unique format, data indexing and loading of information into the DB.

Updating

EAPATIS contains over 50 constantly updating databases. The total number of loaded documents has increased up to 37 million. The local DBs contain retrospective and current patent documentation of international organizations and national patent offices of countries of PCT- minimum documentation, EAPO Member-States, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Local databases have been replenished with 1 million of descriptions to patent documents. The volume of databases has exceeded 200 GB.

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By the end of 2011 the EAPO patent-information depository contained 51 local DB, incorporated into 26 clusters. Each cluster contains DB of one country (or patent organization) or disc series. The total volume of loaded and stored in the DB information is near 3 TB. The peculiar feature of the Eurasian patent-information space is availability of a unified access to all DBs via a unique searching interface of EAPATIS System.

In 2008 EAPO created the system of electronic storage of documents. Two servers (main and backup) and disc arrays were acquired. In 2011 EAPO continued to form an array of CD/DVD disc images and a reserve array of CD/DVD disc images. The array is further used to provide access from EAPATIS to full descriptions of patent documents at a faster speed as well as safety of original media.
The volume of downloads is nearly 19 TB.

Documentation from other offices maintained and/or considered part of the available search file

The patent information storage holds information from international and regional organizations (WIPO, EPO, EAPO), from countries of the PCT minimum (USA, Japan, Germany, UK, etc.) of various degree of retrospection, from national patent offices of CIS countries, including EAPC member states.

Metasearch means are implemented in external free patent databases of intellectual property digital libraries (IPDL) and information systems via the Internet: ESP@CENET, EPOLINE, JOPAL and a number of national IPDLs. With the help of Metasearch Means EAPATIS provides «transparent» access to full descriptions of patent documents of free IPDLs from the EAPATIS without sending request to search means of corresponding systems (IPDL). The sub-system provides integration of EAPATIS internal information sources and external ones, available via the Internet. An examiner of the office after search in EAPATIS has the opportunity to request the document itself by selecting one of free access systems or to request an IPDL DB using search form of EAPATIS.

V. Activities in the field of computerized and other mechanized search systems

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HIVE system: The system supports publication process and own patent collection processing in EAPO. It offers reliable storage of all documents used for publication, automation of the most of publication procedures, structured access to the stored patent information via Web interface, multiplex search in bibliographic data and full texts and provides statistics on documents stored and on the publication process. HIVE is also used in EAPO as master database of published Eurasian patent documents.

Eurasian Patent System (EAPATIS) is the main information and search system. In 2011 over 177 000 patent searches have been performed.

The automatic search report processing system (SRP) was commissioned in 2002. In 2011 the system has undergone updates and developments. SRP was created for aims of search and selection of reference patent documentation and non-patent literature cited in international search reports and is systematized by technical fields. In 2011 search was conducted in respect of 2365 Eurasian applications. Out of 8822 reference documents, contained in applications, examiners were provided with 8486 documents in electronic form. Availability of reference documents for examination procedures was 96.2%.

Information support of EAPO activities was realized by means of maintenance and development of the EAPO corporate site.

In 2011 EAPO continued its work on development of production, issue and web-publication of the EAPO electronic bulletin. Procedures of downloading and data processing, publication of information on optical discs and EAPO web portal have been improved

E-filing: Since 2008 EAPO is using its own system of electronic filing ADEPT (Application Documents Electronically Performed Transmission). The system is aimed at secure exchange of application documents between EAPO and offices of patent attorneys. Exchange of documents is realized via the Internet and a safe TLS protocol. Currently about 50% of all applications received by the EAPO are filed through ADEPT system. Now patent attorneys representing patent firms of Moscow, St. Petersburg and Vladivostok and patent attorneys from the Republic of Belarus use ADEPT system.

Electronic filing of Eurasian applications through the EAPO-ONLINE: In April 2011 the EAPO-ONLINE operation system of electronic exchange was implemented as a pilot project in EAPO offering convenient and accessible solutions for the exchange of patent information with applicants in electronic form.
Technical features of the system allow the use of algorithms for RSA, it does not require installing any additional software, and certificates can be independently produced in the EAPO and then free of charge passed to Eurasian patent attorneys.
In 2011 more than 400 applications were filed through the EAPO-ONLINE system by patent attorneys of 3 EAPO Member-States.

External databases

EAPO examiners apart from EAPATIS are using the EPO search system EPOQUE, as well as open access systems and databases such as esp@cenet, EPOLINE, Patent Scope, JOPAL and others.

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IPDL HIVE-2 System: 3 Intel-based servers (CPU 2xXeon 3200MHz, RAM 4 GB); Windows 2000 Server (Russian version), IBM DB2, IBM WebSphere Portal, IBM Content Manager.

№ Title of server equipment Number
1 SunFire X2200 server M2 15
2 SunFire X2100 server 4
3 Sun Blade 6000 Gen2 Midplane Chassis 1
4 SunFire v280R server 1
5 Sun Blade X6270 server module 8
6 Sun Blade T6320 server module 1
7 Sun Sunfire 4170 server 2
8 Sun StorageTek 25xx Array 8
9 Intel (EPTOS set) servers (IBM xSeries 336,346) 5
10 SE3120 JBOD Array 1
11 Sun Storage D1000 Array 1
12 С2 LTO-3 Tape storage 1
13 Sun Ray 1g thin client 10
14 Sun Ray 2g thin client 22
15 Hewlett Packard C3000 Chassis 1
16 Hewlett Packard Proliant BL460C blade server 4

№ Software number
1 IBM DB2 Content Manager Enterprise Edition Authorized User Annual SW Maintenance Renewal 20
2 IBM DB2 Universal Database Workgroup Edition Server Install Annual SW Maintenance Renewal 1
3 IBM DB2 Universal Database Workgroup Server Edition User Annual SW Maintenance Renewal 4
4 IBM WebSphere Portal Server (20 User Pack) 1
5 IBM WebSphere Portal 6, 7 2
6 Solaris operating system 5
7 Open Enterprise Server with LDAP eDirectory (cluster configuration) (service level 8С) 1
8 NetMail (100 User License) (service level 8С) 1
9 Access Manager Prior (100 User License) (service level 8С) 1
10 Sun Java System Identity Manager 1
11 Linux Suse (10,11) 9
12 Novell Access Manager 20
13 Novell eDirectory 50

OS: Windows Server 2008 Enterprise, Windows Server 2008 ExtrnConn, Windows Server 2008 Std R2, Windows Server 2003 Standard R2 and Web Edition, Windows Server 2000 Rus.

Existing online thesauri; their structure, presentation and usefulness for computerized searches

There is an opportunity to work with the advanced level of the IPC version in Russian in EAPATIS. To find category in the IPC the user enters keywords and phrases in Russian. Searches can be made both on a single keyword or the whole expression by using logical operators. The result of the search by the text of the IPC is a list of found entries, the full name of which corresponds to search condition. Category codes marked by the user are automatically placed in the search form.
A transliteration directory was created to improve the quality of search in the EAPO, which is used for the name search in the EAPO database. Using the transliteration directory can improve the accuracy and completeness of this type of search because of the availability of different translations and spelling in Russian of some names of applicants, inventors and patent holders. For spelling the names of each applicant, inventor and patent holder in Latin, the variants of transliteration in the Russian language existing in the EAPO database, as well as the number of using of the term in Russian, and the number of patents granted are indicated in the directory.
Some EAPO examiners use on their working stations the software performing the translation of patent information from foreign languages into Russian and back online.

VI. Administration of the industrial property office library, and information products and services available to the public (relating to facilities, e.g., for lodging applications, for assisting clients on searching procedures, for obtaining official publications and registry extracts)

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In 2011 EAPO received specialized magazines, books, brochures covering various aspects of patent activity.
To provide examiners with reference materials EAPO cooperates with BEN (Library of Natural Sciences), VINITI (Library of the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information), VPTB (All-Russian Patent and Technical Library) and others.

Information services available to the public (including computerized services and search files contained in libraries remote from your Office and patent information posted by your Office on the World Wide Web)

Eurasian Patent Information System EAPATIS (http://www.eapatis.com/).

In 2011, EAPATIS responded to 640 thousand user requests. As for national patent offices, the largest number of queries came from the patent offices of Russia (over 50 thousand), Belarus (about 50 thousand), Kazakhstan (over 40 thousand). 23 companies were provided with access to EAPATIS for payment among them higher educational establishments, patent attorneys, enterprises, organizations and private entrepreneurs.

In 2011 a new directory was created "Eurasian publication server". Eurasian publication server provides access to primary publications (including full descriptions of inventions to Eurasian applications and patents), and to information, published in the notifications on applications and patents in official Gazettes, as well as to information on legal status of patents.

EAPO has its corporate site with legal, referential and statistical information, documents covering office's activity (plans, orders, instructions, regulations, other); news and announcements, useful links to internet sources and other.

In 2011 EAPO lounged Portal of information services for national patent offices, mainly for statistical purposes and Portal of information services for EAPO patent attorneys.
It is aimed for implementation of the program paperless interaction between the EAPO and its users, providing various convenient online services that are available to its users from all over the world. Here are some of the services:
• Private Office where you can get information on Eurasian applications and patents filed through a representative;
• a section on statistics provided by the EAPO online;
• file sharing, which has the ability to store and share files;
• an electronic forms section, including the form of application for obtaining a Eurasian patent.

URLs of web pages of the Office's website for electronic filing of patent applications

http://adept.eapo.org/
http://portal.eapo.org

URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that provide information on business procedures such as: filing, publication, examination and grant procedures related to patents; opposition and appeal procedures related to patents; etc.

In Russian
http://www.eapo.org/rus/ea/inventors/001.html - general information about Eurasian patent procedures
http://www.eapo.org/rus/ea/getpatent/ - brochure "How to Get a Eurasian Patent"
http://www.eapo.org/rus/ea/information/attorneys.php3 - database of Eurasian patent attorneys
http://www.eapo.org/rus/ea/eapatis - database of full descriptions of published Eurasian applications and patents, transliteration table for common terms
http://www.eapo.org/rus/ea/blancs/blancs.html - application forms
http://www.eapo.org/rus/ea/documents/docs_norm.html - legal texts

http://www.eapo.org/rus/reestr/fees.php3 - on-line cross-currency rates for fees calculation

In English
http://www.eapo.org/eng/ea/information/attorneys.php3 - Eurasian patent attorneys
http://www.eapo.org/pdf/HowToGet_ENG_2009-1.pdf - brochure "How to get a Eurasian Patent"
http://www.eapo.org/eng/ea/eapatis - database of full descriptions of published Eurasian applications and patents
http://www.eapo.org/eng/ea/documents/ - legal texts

URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that provide a description of information products and services offered by the Office (e.g., patent search service(s) and patent databases), as well as information on how to access and utilize them

In Russian http://www.eapo.org/rus/ea/index.html
In English http://www.eapo.org/eng/ea/
http://www.eapo.org/rus/reestr/start.php3 - searching in the register
http://www.eapo.org/rus/ea/publications/ - official publications in Russian
http://www.eapo.org/eng/ea/publications/ - official publications in English
www.eapatis.com
http://ea.espacenet.com

VII. Matters concerning mutual exchange of patent documentation and information

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In 2011 EAPO exchanged patent information on CD-ROM/DVD with WIPO, EPO, ARIPO, OAPI and 47 national patent offices. The following EAPO official publications were circulated: the Gazette, CD-ROM with descriptions of inventions to Eurasian applications and patents; CD-ROM with legislative, normative and methodical and reference documentation of EAPO, CD-ROM «Eurasian applications and patents, Summary index, Annual Index and Annual Report.
EAPO collection on CD/DVD has been replenished with over 1500 discs of current series.

Medium used for exchange of priority documents

Electronic form is used for receiving priority documents of international applications entering the regional phase at EAPO.
Paper form is used in other cases including preparation and sending certified copies of Eurasian applications.

Medium allowed for filing applications

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In 2011 EAPO conducted training and advanced training of 27 specialists from national patent offices of EAPO Member-States. Two cycles of two-week trainings for specialists from national patent offices of the EAPO Member States were hold in EAPO: the session intended for examiners in April, 2011 and the session for IT experts in October, 2011.
10 IT specialists and 11 examiners of national patent offices attended the spring and autumn cycles. EAPO continued the practice to invite the WIPO specialists to participate as lectors/speakers at the EAPO trainings.
In addition, 6 representatives of the national patent offices had individual trainings at the EAPO.
Consultative and methodical assistance has been rendered to examiners on conducting patent searches.
In 2011, the Eurasian patent Office continued to finance advanced studies of specialists from EAPO member-states at the Russian State Academy of Intellectual Property (RGAIS). Thus, EAPO provided the possibilities for 16 specialists from national patent offices to study there under a retraining program, and 2 experts from national offices were provided with the possibility to study by correspondence and to do postgraduate studies.

Assistance to developing countries (sending consultants and experts, receiving trainees from developing countries, etc.)

EAPO experts provided technical assistance for implementation of new information technologies and estimated the main automation processes in the two patent offices of Contracting States:
- National Center of Intellectual Property, under the State Committee on Science and Technologies of the Republic of Belarus (April and November, 2011). The purpose of the visits was installation and commissioning of software and dataware for preparation, issue and web-publication of electronic bulletins, as well as demonstration and testing of the possibilities of system of electronic filing of Eurasian applications ADEPT NO BY through national patent offices.

- National Institute for Intellectual Property, Committee on IP Rights, Ministry of Justice, Republic of Kazakhstan (May and October, 2011). The purpose of the visits was the installation of information technology of preparation, issue and web-publication of electronic bulletins, as well as demonstration of the possibilities of the EAPO Portal and information services and realization of the project of paperless Eurasian applications.

Under the framework of cooperation and support in training national experts on intellectual property in the Republic of Kazakhstan, EAPO experts participated as the main speakers and trainers in the workshop “Eurasian Patent system. Electronic filing of Eurasian applications” held by the National Institute on Intellectual Property of the Committee on IP Rights, Ministry of Justice, Republic of Kazakhstan in August 2011.

EAPO specialists and examiners attended and made presentations at the invitation of Volgograd Chamber of Commerce at the Seminar "Eurasian Patent System" (Volgograd, Russian Federation), as well as at the invitation of Rospatent on the Regional Scientific and Practical Conference "Actual issues of intellectual property in terms of Part 4 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation" (Krasnoyarsk, Russian Federation) and the Regional Scientific and Practical Conference "Protection of intellectual property activities in terms of Part 4 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation and the administrative regulations "(Chelyabinsk, Russian Federation).

Promotional activities (seminars, exhibitions, visits, advertising, etc.)

During the year under report EAPO took part in 7 international events where EAPO representatives participated as speakers.

Each year EAPO organizes seminars at EAPC Contracting States. In 2011 EAPO was a co-organizer of the Regional seminar on Intellectual property and innovation management process, Minsk, Republic of Belarus.

A meeting with Eurasian patent attorneys, which is traditionally dedicated to the World Intellectual Property Day, took place on April 26, 2011 at EAPO.
Leading specialists of the Eurasian Patent Office informed the participants of the meeting about aspects of EAPO activity, which can be useful for their professional activity and development of cooperation with the Office.

Studies to identify trends in new technology, e.g., by the use of patent statistics and preparation of monographs

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In September 2010, the Portal of information services for National Patent Offices of EAPO Member-States was implemented. Its purpose is to provide various statistical data for national patent offices of EAPO Member-States. In 2011, the EAPO expanded the range of services for the national patent offices of EAPO Member-States, a greater number of statistics, frequency of reporting, etc.

IX. Other general information related to the Office that is available on the Internet -- URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that:

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http://www.eapo.org/rus/ea/documents/docs_norm.html in Russian
http://www.eapo.org/eng/ea/documents/ in English

contain the Annual Report of the Office

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X. Other relevant matters

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