The operation of the intellectual property system depends on the creativity and engagement of individuals in the public and private sectors and academia.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Commerce, Trade and Industry, Sam Basil made this remark when announcing the endorsement of the National Intellectual Property Strategy by the National Executive Council recently.
He clarified that those who create new intellectual property and utilise the intellectual property system can attract investment and manage the dissemination of that intellectual property in a manner that derives benefits for all participants in the system.
Hence, the desire to develop a national strategy with the purpose of acknowledging the key issues in the use of the intellectual property system in Papua New Guinea and to setting out the appropriate and relevant initiatives that will build on existing activities and accelerate further improvements in the operation of the intellectual property system.
This will increase activity and enhances outcomes for the people of Papua New Guinea.
The National Intellectual Property Strategy's primary objective is to create benefits for the people of Papua New Guinea by facilitating and encouraging greater use of the intellectual property system.
Basil said these benefits will emerge from greater use of the IP system by citizens of Papua New
Guinea to manage and exploit the intellectual property they create.
“This will ensure that those who create new intellectual property in Papua New Guinea are able to derive a fair reward from those who use that intellectual property.
“Achievement of this primary objective will also boost Papua New Guinea's intranational and international trade in both tangible and intangible assets encouraging increased activity, economic growth, and prosperity.”
Its goal is to create an enabling environment for increased use of the intellectual property system
to.
- Promote creative and innovative activities in all sectors;
- Increase the level and forms of protection of Intellectual Property assets generated in thepublic and private sectors and academia,
- Stimulate research and development activity, technology transfer and commercialization in all productive sectors;
- Facilitate increased entrepreneurial activity nationally; and
- Protect, enforce, preserve, conserve and use cultural heritage to achieve sustainable and responsible economic development and national prosperity.
This can be guided by four (4) key strategic objectives:
- To build an efficient and responsive intellectual property institutional and legislative framework to facilitate increased use of the national intellectual property system.
- To create an enabling environment for increased innovative activities across all sectors to foster a culture based on research and development, new product development and critical design thinking to provide solutions to natural and global challenges.
- To guide sustainable and responsible use of Papua New Guinea's national and cultural resources to spur innovative economic development to sustain current and future development needs.
- To provide the knowledge base to inspire the creation and management of intellectual property assets for wealth creation.
The National Intellectual Property Strategy was developed using a participatory consultative approach soliciting input from key and relevant stakeholders at each stage of development.
This was made possible with the assistance of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry through their Trade-Related Assistance Program (TRAP) via the development partners the European Union Aid.