The intellectual Property Office of Papua New Guinea (IPOPNG) is located within the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA).
Who are we and what do we do?
The intellectual Property Office of Papua New Guinea (IPOPNG) is located within the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA). The IPOPNG is a division within the IPA. The IPOPNG deals with administration of intellectual property rights (IPRs) and intellectual property (IP) legislations in Papua New Guinea. The various IP legislations in Papua New Guinea include the Trade Marks Act, 1980 (Ch.385), Patents and Industrial Designs Act 2000, and Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act 2000.
What We Do
The IPOPNG was formerly the Trade Marks Office of Papua New Guinea. The Trade Marks Office was formerly housed under the then Company’s Office Registry (now the Business and Certification Division within IPA) and was then responsible for administration of existing trademarks registered in PNG prior to Independence. This was due to the existence of the then only IP legislation, the Trade Marks Act (Ch.385) which was enacted in 1978 and entered into force in 1980. The Trade Mark Registry was mainly doing manual processing and registration of trademarks from 1978 to1996.
In 1999, a National Executive Council (NEC) decision (Decision No. 104/99) enabled the name of the Office to change to the Intellectual Property Office of PNG and also enabled the enactment of IP legislations on Patents & Industrial Designs and Copyright and Neighbouring Rights. This was following PNG’s membership to WIPO & WTO in 1996 and 1999 respectively.
The Office then changed its name and focus and assumed the role for administering all IP legislations included the Trade Marks Act (Ch.385), the Patents and Industrial Designs Act 2000 and the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act 2000.
Since then IPOPNG has become a fully fledged office within the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) with defined Units that deal with trademarks examination and registration, patents and industrial design examination and registration and legal matters concerning IP.
Our Vision and Mission
Embracing Intellectual Property as an instrument for stimulating socio-economic and cultural growth by protecting national creativity and endowments, thereby providing a mechanism to achieve prosperity in all economic sectors and at all levels of Papua New Guinea’s society.
IPO has identified 4 areas of focus to realize its vision. These include:
IP Laws and Administrative Systems
The IPOPNG deals with administration of intellectual property rights (IPRs) and therefore administers intellectual property (IP) legislations in Papua New Guinea.
IPO administers registration of trademarks, patents and industrial designs and maintains Registries of these various IPRs. This framework is supported by established processes and procedures and a modern intellectual property rights granting/registration system known Intellectual Property Automation System (IPAS) administered and supported by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
This system enables full automation of the trade marks registration system and administrative functions for processing patent and industrial design applications and documents. It also enables digitization of all physical files and paper documents of trademarks, patents and industrial designs.
IPOPNG has the necessary capacity for trademarks administration whilst it receives technical support from the Intellectual Property Office of Australia (IP Australia) for patent administration particularly in relation to searching and substantive examination of patent applications. This arrangement is made possible through a bilateral cooperation arrangement between IPOPNG and IP Australia.
Membership to International Treaties & Conventions:
IPOPNG is a member or party to the following organizations or treaties/conventions:-
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) – 10 June 1996
- World Trade Organization (WTO) – 9 June 1999
- Paris Convention – 15 July 1999
- Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) – 14 June 2003
Current Vacancies (No Vacancies)