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The Intellectual Property Division (IPD) of the Ministry of
Trade and Industry is the responsible agency for
administration of the industrial property system. The IPD is
also assigned the task of promoting the establishment of a
comprehensive intellectual property protection system in the
country which will include in addition to protection of
trademarks, the institution of protection regimes for
patents, designs, copyright and other intellectual property
rights.
The adoption of two acts, viz., the Industrial Property Act
of the Kingdom of Bhutan, 2001, and the Copyright Act of the
Kingdom of Bhutan, 2001, by National Assembly at its 79th
Session, has initiated steps towards introducing an
effective system for the protection of intellectual property
rights in the Kingdom. Under the first act, the registries
for trademarks, patents and designs will be formally
established and facilities for registration of rights
commenced in due course following training of sufficient
numbers of manpower to handle skilled tasks. Under the
Copyright Act, the IPD will be involved in setting up
collective copyright management and administration societies
and in the dissemination of information on copyright matters
as well as promoting enforcement of rights. |