EU IP office encourages govt in its intellectual property reforms
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — While delivering his contribution to the 2021/2022 budget debate on June 10, Minister of Financial Services, Trade and Industry and Immigration (MOFSTII Elsworth Johnson spoke of the EU Development Fund initiative, CarIPI, that is being implemented to assist countries in benefitting from the CARIFORUM-EU EPA.
Johnson believes CarIPI is doing timely work in the development of regional intellectual property rights that he hopes will be of benefit to The Bahamas.
“The CARIFORUM-EU EPA, through the European Development fund, is also implementing a regional project, CarIPI, to support the enabling framework for innovation and competitiveness in the private sector,” Johnson said.
“Through the project, entrepreneurs, including those in the creative industry, will learn about and take advantage of opportunities to export authentic Bahamian culture across the globe.”
He noted the specific objectives of the project were to increase awareness of the value of intellectual property rights, improve intellectual property institutions, enhance the legal and policy frameworks and improve the capacity of the productive sector to create and protect intellectual property and enforce intellectual property rights.
The ministerʼs remarks follow a discussion held between the Trade and Industry Unit and members of the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and the regional CarIPI initiative, in which positive sentiments were expressed regarding the governmentʼs planned reforms to the national intellectual property (IP) framework.
Participating in the discussion for the Trade and Industry Unit was Acting Director of Trade and Industry Brickell Pinder, along with Trade and Industry officers who serve as the EPA coordinators for The Bahamas. Representing CarIPI was CarIPI IPR Expert and Activity Coordinator Dr Wendy Hollingsworth, who was joined by EUIPO IP Cooperation Specialist Alexandra Mayr and Communications Expert Ana Lopez.
Pinder said: “As we are seeing through CarIPIʼs work with trademarks, geographical indicators and other forms of IP protections, many local entrepreneurs are not aware of the need and value of intellectual property rights in protecting their creative output from being stolen or copied locally or internationally.
“The work that CarIPI is doing is invaluable and we hope that Bahamian entrepreneurs will begin to see the benefits of this work.”
This discussion is particularly important as the government moves forward with the Invest Bahamas initiative, which will bring on a new National Investment Agency and create a new investment framework involving a number of changes to the existing intellectual property (IP) framework.
The reforms will reflect those outlined in the Economic Recovery Committeeʼs (ERC) Executive Summary Report and may include the creation of online processes for applying for IP protections like patents and trademarks, the creation of online search portals and the signing of new IP treaties.
Mayr feels the proposed plans could positively impact The Bahamas when implemented.
“Itʼs very good to hear that The Bahamas is aiming to streamline and digitalize the application and search processes,” Mayr said.
“EUIPO has been selected for three years in a row as the most innovative IP office in the world and we are aiming to share our expertise with other IP offices around the globe. We stand ready to support any of these initiatives by freely sharing software that is being used internationally, as well as our expertise and experiences in drafting state-of-the art laws and creating efficient IP offices.”
Hollingsworth echoed those sentiments and emphasized CarIPIʼs willingness to “partner with member countries to strengthen IP offices and to work with groups around the region to share experiences and best practices”.
Additional information on the project can be found at https://internationalipcooperation.eu/en/caripi/activities and on the Ministry of Financial Services, Trade and Industry and Immigrationʼs YouTube Channel.
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