Republic of Slovenia
Capital (and the largest city): Ljubljana
Population: Around 2 million
Official language: Slovenian
Republic of Slovenia is situated in South-Central Europe, bordering Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Croatia to the south and southeast, and Hungary to the northeast.
Slovenia declared independence from Yugoslavia in June 1991. Slovenia became part of the European Union on May 1, 2004.
Slovenia has a developed economy and is per capita the richest of Slavic states, comparable to Spain and Portugal. Main industries produce electrical equipment, electronics, trucks, chemicals, processed food, textiles, paper and paper products, and wood products. Metallurgy and rolling mill products, aluminium reduction and rolled products, and lead and zinc smelting are also developed.
The Intellectual Property Office of Slovenia started to work on April 4, 1992.
Croatia
The capital (and the largest city): Zagreb
Population: over 4 million
Official language: Croatian
Croatia is at the crossroads of Central Europe bordering Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the south-east, Montenegro to the south-east, the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and Slovenia to the northwest.
Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia in June 1991 (declaration came into effect on 8 October 1991).
The industrial sector is dominated by shipbuilding, food processing, pharmaceuticals, information technology, textile and timber industry. Tourism is also of major importance in a services sector that accounts for over 70 percent of the GDP.
The Intellectual Property Office of Croatia started to work in December 1991.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Capital (and the largest city): Sarajevo.
Population: 3.8 million
Official language(s): Bosnian (official) and Croatian (official)
Bosnia and Herzegovina is located in the western Balkans, bordering Croatia to the north and southwest, Serbia to the east and Montenegro to the southeast.
Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia on March 3, 1992.
Mining and mining-related activities make up the bulk of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s industry. Steel production, vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture and domestic appliances are also important industries.
The Intellectual Property Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina started to work in October 1992.
Republic of Serbia
The Capital (and the largest city): Belgrade
Population: Over 7 million
Official language: Serbian
Republic of Serbia is a landlocked country that borders Hungary to the north, Romania and Bulgaria to the east, the Republic of Macedonia to the south and Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro to the west. Additionally, it borders Albania through Kosovo, whose status as part of Serbia is disputed.
The economy is heavily reliant on exports and foreign investment. The main Industries include mining, thermal power plants, plants generating hydro-electricity, food and textile industries, metal processing industries and car manufacturing. Serbia is rich in raw materials like metals – lead, copper, zinc, silver, gold etc.
Republic of Serbia has a legal continuity from Kingdom of Serbia, one of the original founding countries of Paris union (1883). The first intellectual property office was established in 1920.
Montenegro
The capital (and the largest city): Podgorica.
Population: Over 600,000
Official language(s): Montenegrin
Montenegro has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast, Albania to the southeast and Kosovo to the east. Montenegro separated from then union of Serbia and Montenegro after a referendum in May 2006.
Metallurgy (aluminum and steel), power and transport infrastructure are the key industries in the nation. Other significant contributors of Montenegro industry sectors are: wood-processing, textile, leather and footwear, household appliances, construction and building trade. Additionally, Montenegro industry sectors constitute several processing units, which are supportive of the nation’s agricultural sector. This includes fish-processing plants, flourmills, breweries and wine cellars.
The Intellectual Property Office of Montenegro started to work in May 2008.
Kosovo
Capital (and the largest city): Pristina
Population: 1.7 million
Official language: Serbian, Albanian
Republic of Kosovo is a self-declared independent state (on February 17, 2008). Serbia does not recognize the unilateral secession of Kosovo and considers it a UN-governed entity within its sovereign territory.
Kosovo is rich in natural resources – such as lead, zinc, silver, nickel, cobalt, copper, lignite, iron and bauxite. Textile industry is the second largest industrial sector in Kosovo, after mining.
The Intellectual Property Office of Kosovo started to work in October 2007.
Republic of Macedonia
Capital (and the largest city): Skopje.
Population: About 2 million
Official language: Macedonian
Republic of Macedonia borders with Serbia to the north, Kosovo to the northwest, Bulgaria to the east, Greece to the south and Albania to the west.
Macedonia declared independence from Yugoslavia in September 1991.
Industry in Macedonia is in the developing phase – steel and chemical production, along with buses, textiles, food processing, tobacco, furniture, and ceramics are important industries.
The Intellectual Property Office of Macedonia started to work in December 1993.
Republic of Albania
Capital (and the largest city): Tirana
Population: 2.8 million
Official language: Albanian
Republic of Albania borders Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the west and on the Ionian Sea to the southwest.
Other natural resources include coal, bauxite, copper and iron ore. Mining is a large (but shrinking) sector of the economy, given the rich deposits of bauxite, chromium, nickel, iron, copper ores, and petroleum. The export of raw materials is crucial for the economy. Agriculture is the most significant sector – Albania produces significant amounts of wheat, corn, tobacco, figs (13th largest producer in the world) and olives.