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NIPO National Workshop on: “IPR Awareness and Commercialization and Proposed Amendments to the Copyright Act“ held on the 25th of February 2006 at Punjab Trade Centre Ludhiana.

The end of the transition period under the agreement on Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) has ushered in a new intellectual property rights regime. Amendments to all IP related laws and procedures have been completed within the time frame stipulated under the WTO agreement. There is, therefore, an urgent need to take effective steps to ensure that the knowledge wealth of the country is utilized to generate economic wealth, trade and industry is empowered to harness the benefits of the new IP regime, intellectual property is protected and any violation of IP laws is dealt with expeditiously through swift enforcement action throughout the country.

NIPO a pioneer organization on mission to evolve an IP culture cutting across International Business & Trade Practices covering Digital Technology, Brands, TMs, Service Marks, Publications, Copyrights, Product & Design Patents, Bio-Technology, R&D, Trade Secrets, Traditional Knowledge, Geographic Indications, Piracy, Customer Protection & IP Capacity Development and has been working in this area with support from WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization, Geneva) and Ministry of HRD and State Governments organized a one-day workshop on "IPR Awareness and Commercialization including Proposed Amendments to the Copyright Act," on the 25th of February 2006 at the Punjab Trade Centre Ludhiana, in association with the Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO) and the office of the Jt. Director General of Foreign Trade (Ludhiana) with support from the Ministry of Human Resource Development. The important issues covered in the Workshop included:

•	Discussions on the proposed amendments to the Copyright Act and its implications for trade & industry •	Ways to help local community enterprises & SME’s to convert their IP assets into economic wealth. •	Means to protect valuable reputations from misrepresentation by dishonest commercial operators. •	Measures for ensuring fulfilment of obligations relating to enforcement of IP laws under TRIPS agreement of the WTO for promoting international trade and commerce.

The Speakers included Shri V.K Gupta Joint DGFT Ludhiana, Dr. RK Dhawan Chairman Northern Region FIEO, Mr. Rodney D Ryder noted IP Attorney and IPR expert, Khaitan & Co. and Mr. Akash Taneja Director NIPO. Various stakeholders in IP i.e. owners/users/creators of IP/ enforcement agencies, government ministries and departments, officers of the district administration, policy makers, academic & legal community and students were represented in the Workshop.

Dr RK Dhawan President NIPO and Chairman Northern Region FIEO inaugurated the Workshop and stated that Intellectual property laws grant certain exclusive rights over what are otherwise intangible assets on similar lines as that granted to corporeal property subject to limitations such as duration and exceptions such as for research, education and dissemination to the public through media. Such rights are seen as an incentive to benefit the public and also promote the progress of science and useful arts. These rights, conferred by law, can be given, sold, rented (licensed) and, in some countries, even mortgaged in the same way as physical property like real estate. The time is ripe for our country and the citizens to convert our knowledge assets into economic wealth of which awareness about IP rights is only the first step and needs to be followed by creation of knowledge wealth, its protection and conversion into tangible assets through the new intellectual property regime.

Mr Akash Taneja Director NIPO spoke on the WTO and the TRIPS agreement, the kinds of intellectual property, the laws for registering and protecting them, the role of the World Intellectual Property Organization and the various intellectual property treaties and systems being administered by WIPO. He also gave an overview of the IP system in China which has similar compliance and enforcement problems as India and explained how the Chinese courts are now increasingly delivering judgments in favour of both domestic and foreign IP holders. He stated that effective enforcement coupled with a proactive legal system would ensure that the amended IP laws are fully complied with and India is able to meet fully its obligations relating to enforcement of IP laws under TRIPS.

Mr. Rodney D Ryder IP expert, author and Head – IT Law, Khaitan & Co. emphasized upon issues relating to Digital Rights Management and equitable structures for all stakeholders in the copyright system which are being proposed in the amendments to the Copyright Act in order to keep pace with advancements in digital and communication technologies. He highlighted the point that truly creative companies use IP as a business tool to leverage their entrance into a new product and geographic areas and as well as a bargaining chip in business deals and it is very important for Indian companies to commercialize their dormant IP assets to become competitive in today’s globalized economy.

The basic theme of the Workshop was: Think... Imagine... Create... Comply... Protect... Monetize...