10-P IP Plan coming into action for the first time

Sri Lanka has high legal, scientific and tech capacity to adapt to demanding global Intellectual Property (IP) dynamics-and for the first time, a global body vested with universal IP powers has openly acknowledges it. “When it comes to IP and patent designs of international levels, Sri Lanka shows high potentials. Sri Lankan legal, science and tech fraternities display strong capacity to grasp, adapt and adjust to demanding global Intellectual Property (IP) dynamics” said an observant Patricia Simao Sartorius (Program Officer, Innovation Structures Section, Innovation Division, World Intellectual Property Organization, Geneva) on 21 April in Colombo.

Geneva-WIPO’s Program Officer Sartorius was addressing Geneva’s WIPO facilitated first regional level intellectual property training sessions to be held in Colombo in the aftermath of the launch of 10-Point IP Development Plan for Sri Lanka by Geneva. The five days session, called simply as the Training Program & Workshop on Professional Patent Drafting in Sri Lanka, packs 32 particpants, four of whom are from India and Pakistan.

As int’l praise was heaped on it, Sri Lanka meanwhile signalled its new Intellectual Property push in Colombo on 21 April. “During the last 10 months, around two thirds of the backlog of IP work has been cleared. I am also pleased to announce that a complete restructuring program of Sri Lanka’s National Intellectual Property Office is also underway” announced an upbeat Rishad Bathiudeen (Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka) at the same session.

Dr Francis Gurry (Director General of WIPO) during his landmark visit to Colombo last November unveiled the 10-Point IP development Plan for Sri Lanka, which envisages strengthening of the country’s IP & design regime to cater to changing global competitiveness. Sri Lanka’s National Intellectual Property Office, the focal point of this thrust, functions under the purview of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. The ground-breaking first such session was successfully concluded in 2010 in Colombo and in its second that commenced on 21 April, Sri Lanka is clearly aiming at a higher level of IP restructuring.

“When it comes to IP and patent designs of international levels, Sri Lanka shows high potentials. Sri Lankan legal, science and tech fraternities display strong capacity to grasp, adapt and adjust to demanding global Intellectual Property (IP) dynamics” said Geneva-WIPO’s Program Officer Sartorius, and added: “In the next phase of this series, this unique training for Sri Lanka will connect to WIPO’s internationally reputed live, online sessions with a six month duration.”

“This is a capacity building session involving not only Sri Lankans but even regional resource persons including researchers scientists patent attorneys and IP agents. The trainees are specifically trained to improve their skills in drafting a legally acceptable Patent document. In fact WIPO has been extending considerable support to the development of Sri Lanka’s intellectual property system for which I extend our appreciation” said Minister Bathiudeen, and added: “A well-established Patent System offers an exclusive monopoly to the inventor helping him to recover his research and development expenditure and also to use as a tool to promote investment and to commercialize his inventions. It also gives the opportunity for the people of the country to enjoy the benefits of such innovation. I am also pleased to state that in this regard the Ministry of Industry and has always supported the activities of the National Intellectual Property Office which functions under the purview of the Ministry. In 2013 my Ministry approved a special project to clear the back log of work which is currently underway. I am made to understand that during the last 10 months around two thirds of the back log of IP work has been cleared. I am also pleased to announce that a complete restructuring program of NIPO is also underway. In fact it is the responsibility of the Government to provide such strength and protection to the innovators through a well-designed strong patent system so that innovations become a driver in our economic growth. As you may already be aware thanks to the committed vision of His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa our committed President, Sri Lanka has recorded a commendable GDP growth of 7.3% in 2013.”