Martin Endjala
The Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA) is engaging various stakeholders on the outdated BIPA legislation with a view to modernise it and in this met various parliamentary standing committees today during an information sharing session.
The session was officially opened by the Deputy Minister of Industrialisation and Trade, Verna Sinimbo where the chief executive of BIPA Vivienne Katjioungua, who noted that the main focus is the Copyrights and Neighboring Rights Protection Act 6 of 1994.
Katjioungua hinted that the benefits of amending the Act, will lead to speedy resolution of copyright disputes as well as the possibility of creating a tribunal to adjudicate matters pertaining to copyright to improve service delivery.
The business and intellectual property authority has been established as the focal point for the registration of business and industrial property.
The parliamentary committees perform functions of both houses of parliament to carry out inquiries, hearing witnesses, sifting evidence, discussing matters in detail and formulating reasoned conclusions.
BIPA is the legal depository of information, documents and data of registered companies as well as issues pertaining to copyright and trade marks among other responsibilities.
