Sound advise: Acting Controller of Customs, Hj Mohd Abdoh Dato Hj Abdul Salam delivers his speech at a workshop on 'Effective Practices in the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights'. Pictures: Syafie Nadi
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
THE Acting Controller of Customs said yesterday that holders of intellectual property rights (IPR) should take more measures to protect their trademark and copyright.
Hj Mohd Abdoh Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdul Salam was speaking at a workshop on 'Effective Practices in the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights'.
The opening of the workshop yesterday took place at the Royal Customs and Excise Department and was attended by representatives from AiTi, the Ministry of Health, the Attorney General's Chambers and the Royal Brunei Police Force.
"The role of Customs is to help ensure that intellectual property rights are complied with. Therefore a prerequisite for a Customs intervention is that companies must protect what they have created," he said.
He added that unless the rights are registered with a recognised official body, it would be difficult for legal proceedings against alleged counterfeiters to be carried out.
A written application for intervention by customs officials should also be lodged by the IPR holders. The information provided by the applicants will allow for intervention for the type of goods stipulated under the rights.
"Unfortunately, not all companies will adequately protect their intellectual property and systematically lodge an application for intervention with Customs," said Hj Mohd Abdoh.
However, customs authorities can still intervene by suspending clearance of goods suspected to infringe on IPR.
According to Hj Mohd Abdoh, identifying IPR-infringing goods can be difficult due to lack of information and experience. "I firmly believe that consistent education and awareness programmes should be mounted to educate officials and consumers to be ethically-conscious and to do the right thing," he said.
Safeguarding property rights can also foster economic growth, provide incentives for technological innovation, and attract investment that can create new jobs and opportunities for Brunei.
The objective of the two-day workshop is to bring together government officials, including prosecutors, police, customs officers, patent, trademark and copyright officials, and policy makers to learn, discuss and strategise global IPR protection and enforcement.
The workshop would also discuss effective enforcement of IPR in Brunei Darussalam, in line with existing legislation on copyright, trademarks and patents. (SHS1)
The Brunei Times
Hj Mohd Abdoh Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdul Salam was speaking at a workshop on 'Effective Practices in the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights'.
The opening of the workshop yesterday took place at the Royal Customs and Excise Department and was attended by representatives from AiTi, the Ministry of Health, the Attorney General's Chambers and the Royal Brunei Police Force.
"The role of Customs is to help ensure that intellectual property rights are complied with. Therefore a prerequisite for a Customs intervention is that companies must protect what they have created," he said.
He added that unless the rights are registered with a recognised official body, it would be difficult for legal proceedings against alleged counterfeiters to be carried out.
A written application for intervention by customs officials should also be lodged by the IPR holders. The information provided by the applicants will allow for intervention for the type of goods stipulated under the rights.
"Unfortunately, not all companies will adequately protect their intellectual property and systematically lodge an application for intervention with Customs," said Hj Mohd Abdoh.
However, customs authorities can still intervene by suspending clearance of goods suspected to infringe on IPR.
According to Hj Mohd Abdoh, identifying IPR-infringing goods can be difficult due to lack of information and experience. "I firmly believe that consistent education and awareness programmes should be mounted to educate officials and consumers to be ethically-conscious and to do the right thing," he said.
Safeguarding property rights can also foster economic growth, provide incentives for technological innovation, and attract investment that can create new jobs and opportunities for Brunei.
The objective of the two-day workshop is to bring together government officials, including prosecutors, police, customs officers, patent, trademark and copyright officials, and policy makers to learn, discuss and strategise global IPR protection and enforcement.
The workshop would also discuss effective enforcement of IPR in Brunei Darussalam, in line with existing legislation on copyright, trademarks and patents. (SHS1)
The Brunei Times