Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Union Government has established the Central Committee for Intellectual Property ("CCIPR") by issuing the Notification No. 18/2020 of March, 6 2020 published on May 8, 2020.Further amendment to the composition of the CCIPR was made by the Notification No. 21/2020 of March 18th, 2020. The CCIPR will then establish the Myanmar Intellectual Property Rights Agency (MIPRA) which will be responsible for receiving, examining and granting IPRs in Myanmar.
CCIPR's members
The CCIPR is established pursuant to Sections 4(a) of the Industrial Design Law, Trademark Law, Patent Law, and Copyright Law respectively. There are 30 members of the CCIPR, including Second Vice President of Myanmar, Minister of Commerce, Deputy Ministers from the Ministry of Information, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, Deputy Ministers from different ministries, IPR experts, NGOs representative, Director General of Consumer Affairs.
CCIPRs' duties and responsibilities
The CCIPR has the following statutory duties and responsibilities:
Setting IP policies, strategies, and action plan & supervising their implementation;
Providing guidance to foster the IPRs system for the state’s economic development, foreign investment promotion, and development of small and medium-sized enterprises;
Fostering training and capacity building in the area of IP
Coordinating with relevant government departments and other stakeholders for the growth of IPRs
Fostering communication and cooperation with organizations for the development of technology and to seek necessary assistance;
Other duties related to IPRs assigned by the government.
Setting up of the MIPRA
It is expected that the CCIPR will soon exercise its responsibility to establish the MIPRA, as part of the Union Government’s mandate to progress the implementation of the new IP laws. The MIPRA will be the government agency responsible for receiving, examining and granting trademarks, designs, patents and geographical indications.
