Bhutan Local Governance

  Virtual Meeting Between DoIP and USPTO

3 February 2022, Thimphu: The Department of Intellectual Property (DoIP) and United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) convened a meeting via a virtual platform to discuss on the ongoing and future collaborations in the area of intellectual Property (IP) under aegis of Memorandum of Understanding which was signed in June, 2020 between the two agencies. 

During the virtual meeting, the two agencies discussed and agreed on conducting various programs to create IP awareness in schools, colleges and institutions coinciding with the World Intellectual Property Day, which falls on 26 April 2022.  As the theme for World IP Day this year is: IP and Youth: Innovating for a Better Future, creating awareness on IP in schools, colleges and institutions is found to be a relevant program. In addition, the two agencies also agreed to conduct a series of virtual training sessions on various IP subject matters such as patent search and examinations, trademark opposition and invalidation, Geographical Indications and Madrid System in due course of time in order to build capacities of the IP officials. 

Since the formalization of the MoU, a series of virtual training on trademark has been conducted until now to enhance the knowledge and expertise of officials of DoIP. It is expected that such increased cooperation between the two agencies will not only lead to a skilled and professional workforce within DoIP but could also enhance overall IP related service delivery and efficiency.