Intellectual Property of Bhutan

	First Industrial Designs Certificate presented.-(12/15/2009) Industrial Designs Registry under the Intellectual Property Division, Ministry of Economic Affairs was operationalized on May 1, 2009. However, the Registration System for Industrial Designs was formally launched only on December 14, 2009. Hon’ble Secretary, Dasho Sonam Tshering, Ministry of Economic Affairs presented the first Industrial Designs Certificate to the creator, Mr. Kinzang Wangdi on December 14, 2009. Mr. Kinzang was presented the certificate of industrial designs for his design of a table. He currently has more than 15 designs for table and similar furniture which he hopes to register with IPD as soon as possible. Industrial designs are increasingly playing a pivotal role in the intellectual property domain. Every product we see in the market has some aspect of industrial designs and consumers attach particular importance to the visual appeal of a product. It is therefore important to protect such creation. When an industrial design is protected, the owner (the person or entity that has registered the design) is assured an exclusive right against unauthorized copying or imitation of the design by third parties. This helps to ensure a fair return on investment. It also benefits consumers and the public at large, by promoting fair competition and honest trade practices, encouraging creativity, and promoting more aesthetically attractive products. Under the Industrial Property Act, Kingdom of Bhutan, 2001 an industrial design must be registered in order to be protected. To be registrable, the design must be "new" or "original". Once a design is registered, a registration certificate is issued. Following that, exclusive rights are granted for a period of five years, renewable for another two periods of 5 years each. Industrial designs are applied to a wide variety of products such as watches, jewelry, luxury items, house wares, electrical appliances, vehicles, textile designs, leisure goods, etc. Importance to Bhutanese industrial designs  Bhutanese creators in furniture products, handicraft and textile etc will be particularly benefited from such protection. Business enterprises can also protect their industrial designs of their products  With the launch of industrial designs registration system, IPD urges creators to apply for registration of their industrial designs  As an encouragement and support from the government, there is a 50 % fee reduction to first 100 industrial designs applications or till October 31, 2010. BY KENCHO PELDEN

First Industrial Designs Certificate presented.-(12/15/2009)

Industrial Designs Registry under the Intellectual Property Division, Ministry of Economic Affairs was operationalized on May 1, 2009. However, the Registration System for Industrial Designs was formally launched only on December 14, 2009.

Hon’ble Secretary, Dasho Sonam Tshering, Ministry of Economic Affairs presented the first Industrial Designs Certificate to the creator, Mr. Kinzang Wangdi on December 14, 2009. Mr. Kinzang was presented the certificate of industrial designs for his design of a table.

He currently has more than 15 designs for table and similar furniture which he hopes to register with IPD as soon as possible.

Industrial designs are increasingly playing a pivotal role in the intellectual property domain. Every product we see in the market has some aspect of industrial designs and consumers attach particular importance to the visual appeal of a product. It is therefore important to protect such creation.
When an industrial design is protected, the owner (the person or entity that has registered the design) is assured an exclusive right against unauthorized copying or imitation of the design by third parties. This helps to ensure a fair return on investment. It also benefits consumers and the public at large, by promoting fair competition and honest trade practices, encouraging creativity, and promoting more aesthetically attractive products.
Under the Industrial Property Act, Kingdom of Bhutan, 2001 an industrial design must be registered in order to be protected. To be registrable, the design must be "new" or "original". Once a design is registered, a registration certificate is issued. Following that, exclusive rights are granted for a period of five years, renewable for another two periods of 5 years each.

Industrial designs are applied to a wide variety of products such as watches, jewelry, luxury items, house wares, electrical appliances, vehicles, textile designs, leisure goods, etc.

Importance to Bhutanese industrial designs

 Bhutanese creators in furniture products, handicraft and textile etc will be particularly benefited from such protection. Business enterprises can also protect their industrial designs of their products

 With the launch of industrial designs registration system, IPD urges creators to apply for registration of their industrial designs

 As an encouragement and support from the government, there is a 50 % fee reduction to first 100 industrial designs applications or till October 31, 2010.

BY KENCHO PELDEN

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