Intellectual Property Office of Papua New Guinea: NIPRC

NATIONAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS COMMITTEE (NIPRC)

The National Intellectual Property Rights Committee (NIPRC) was established by the Government in 1999. The primary purpose of the Committee was to produce draft Intellectual Property (IP) legislation for consideration by National Executive Council (NEC). This purpose was realized when Parliament enacted the Patents & Industrial Designs Act and the Copyright & Neighbouring Rights Act in 2000.

The NIPRC when established did not have proper Terms of Reference. There was neither further determination nor discussion by NEC as to whether the NIPRC should continue or disband after realizing its intended purpose.

After holding a number of meetings and completing its initial task, the committee became defunct during last 6 years. It was until recently, the pressure from line agencies and relevant stakeholder organizations to revive the NIPRC became obvious, this was in light of the growing incidences of piracy and counterfeit activities been committed within the country and at the borders. However, it was considered in appropriate for the NIPRC to deliberate or formulate important intellectual property policy issues since its scope was limited to drafting of the IP laws.

A review noted that the NIPRC did not have proper terms of reference (TOR) adopted for the continuity of the Committee to discuss and address IP and related issues relating to public policy. The Secretariat (IPOPNG) was pressured to revive the NIPRC and eventually convene a meeting after more than 6 years. A proposition of TOR was put before the Committee which was unanimously passed. A draft TOR was finalized and approved by NEC on 18 April, 2008.

THE NIPRC SECRETARIAT

The Intellectual Property Office of the Papua New Guinea (IPOPNG) is the Secretariat and comprises of: -

• Chairperson - Ms. Amelia Na'aru, Registrar of IPOPNG

• Deputy Chairman - Dr. Musawe Sinebare, Deputy Director, NRI

• Secretary - Louisa Magalu , Senior Trademarks Examiner, IPOPNG

SOME MEMBERS OF THE NIPRC

	National Cultural Commission Traditional Knowledge & Expressions of Culture
	National Agriculture Research Institute Plant Varieties
	Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) Customs & Border Measures
	Independent Consumer & Competition Commission (ICCC) Unfair Competition and Consumer Protection
	Business Council of Papua New Guinea advocating IPR issues from the private sector perspective and IPR owners