Intellectual property rights and digital transformation in Estonia: Aspects related to copyright and patent protection

Abstract

With almost all public services delivered online, functioning system of e-residency and established 'data embassies,' Estonia is also home to blooming creative community and numerous companies ranging from small start-ups to tech giants. Apart from being the result of a clear and long-lasting political orientation, this success is strongly correlated with Estonian legislation and, more narrowly, its regulatory framework on both information/ digital society and protection of intellectual property rights (IPR). After examining the most relevant features of Estonia's legislation related to digital economy and society (Chapter 2), this paper analyses the country's regulatory framework on copyright (Chapter 3) and patents (Chapter 4) in the light of digital transformation. The author argues that there is a direct correlation between, on the one hand, regulatory framework dedicated to IPR protection on both EU and national level and, on the other, development of digital technologies. The study of Estonian legislation and practice in the field of copyright and patent protection has shown that, in numerous aspects, the country is largely dependent on the good functioning of wider EU legal and institutional framework, while, in the near future, the technological advance would require more supranational regulatory mechanisms.