The government has introduced a bill in the Parliament to establish a special Maldives Intellectual Property Office tasked with the protection, promotion and enforcement of intellectual property rights in the Maldives.
The bill moved by ruling party lawmaker Hussain Hameed, seeks to establish a robust system for the protection and promotion of intellectual property in the country, encourage ingenuity and creativity in the business sector while facilitating the economic development of the country.
The types of intellectual property protected by the Act include trademarks, copyrights, patents, industrial designs and geographical indications.
The bill also aims to establish a government office called the Maldives Intellectual Property Office and define its responsibilities and powers, which includes the compilation of an intellectual property register, strengthening relations with international organisations, and facilitating the country’s entry into international intellectual property treaties.
According to the bill, the Registrar of Intellectual Property will head the Maldives Intellectual Property Office with the Minister of Economic Development tasked with the appointment for a five year term within 30 days of the law coming into effect.
The Registrar's responsibilities include facilitating the acceptance of applications for registration of intellectual property, publicising and reviewing such applications through a secure system, and establishing, completing and revising the intellectual property register.
The Act shall come into force three months after the date of ratification by the President and publication in the government gazette.