The Business and Intellectual Property (BIPA)’s stakeholder consultations at Oshakati took place today, where 30 individuals were in attendance.
BIPA was consulting on the draft amendment to the Industrial Property Regulations (Regulations No. 114 of 2018).
The new changes to the Act intend to consolidate registration processes of Intellectual Property rights and reduce the waiting period, which would then improve efficiency.
Mr Onesmus Joseph, the Manager for Intellectual Property Enforcement and Framework, who was the leader of the BIPA team, said that when people apply for registration of trademarks and patents they have to go through three steps, and then wait for up to five months before they are informed as to whether their applications have been approved or not approved.
“In order to reduce the waiting period from five to two months, we have to change the law’s regulations,” Joseph said.
“The changes also aim at consolidating the fees payable, so that the person pays just once instead of at three different times. The fee amounts will not change, but just combined.”
The consolidation of the application fee, registration fee and publication fee for patents will then be referred to as a “basic application fee” which would be calculated as a single amount of N$1,500.
“The consolidation of the Application, Registration, Publication and Certificate fees for Utility Models into a once-off fee deemed ‘Basic Application Fee’ will be N$1,200,” Joseph stated.
Joseph also stated that if an application for a patent, trademark of copyright is not approved there would not be any refunds for the fees paid.
“As you receive your application form, you are expected to do prior research to see if the trademark you want to register is not already registered by someone else.”
Some participants raised issues of the need for BIPA to improve its communication with stakeholders, and the need for the officials to take the public concerns to the higher authorities.
Mr Robby Amadhila, a businessman from Ondangwa, also gave advice to the BIPA officials for them to work for the good of the community.
“BIPA and all the other state-owned enterprises are meant to serve the purpose of transformation, to be transformational, to help our businesses thrive and not die. These businesses are not ours but for future generations.”
Mr Joseph said that he was satisfied with the level of engagement at the consultation meeting, and that everything said was written down for further scrutiny back at the office.
He also said that BIPA will open its office in Ongwediva on 15 November 2024.
In the photo: Attendees of the BIPA consultation meeting at Oshakati.
