Laws Relating To Intellectual Property Right
Laws Relating To Intellectual Property Right
Laws Relating To Intellectual Property Right
Unit 1
has not been worked in the territory of India or that the patented invention is not
available to the public at a reasonably affordable price, may make an order
revoking the patent.
IV. Every application under sub-section (1) shall ordinarily be decided within one
year of its being presented to the Controller.
Unit 2
1. Infringement
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from making, using or selling the product. In addition, the court may allow the inventor
to collect money for any losses suffered as a result of the infringement.
Patent infringement remedies are typically awarded as a result of a lawsuit filed in federal
court against the infringer. Alternatively, the parties can agree to settle their dispute
through arbitration. When the infringing goods come from outside the U.S., the
International Trade Commission (ITC) may also help resolve the dispute. However, no
compensation for past infringement or attorney’s fees are available in an ITC proceeding.
In an infringement suit, the patent owner may sue to recover monetary damages. When
trying to determine the amount of money to award, the court will typically look towards
the amount of cash necessary to restore the patent owner to the same financial position he
or she would have been in had the infringer violated the patent owner’s rights.
3. Offences and Penalties
I. Contravention of secrecy provision relating to certain invention – 2 years of
prison or fine or both
II. Falsification of entries in register – 2 years of prison or fine or both
III. Unathorised claim of patent right – fine upto 1 lakh rupee
IV. Wrongful patent of words – prison of 6 months or fine
V. Refusal or failure to supply information – 10 lakh rupees fine
VI. Practice by non-registered patent agent – in case of first offence fine of 1 lank and
in subsequent offence fine of 10 lakh
4. Patenting life forms and animal variety
A biological patent is a patent on an invention in the field of biology that by law allows
the patent holder to exclude others from making, using, selling, or importing the
protected invention for a limited period of time. The scope and reach of biological patents
vary among jurisdictions, and may include biological technology and products,
genetically modified organisms and genetic material. The applicability of patents to
substances and processes wholly or partially natural in origin is a subject of debate.
5. Meaning of Trade Marks
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A trademark is a name or symbol that a company uses on its products and that cannot
legally be used by another company. If you say that something is the trademark of a
particular person or place, you mean that it is characteristic of them or typically
associated with them.
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a recognizable sign, design, or expression
which identifies products or services of a particular source from those of others, although
trademarks used to identify services are usually called service marks. The trademark
owner can be an individual, business organization, or any legal entity. A trademark may
be located on a package, a label, a voucher, or on the product itself. For the sake
of corporate identity, trademarks are often displayed on company buildings.
The first legislative act concerning trademarks was passed by the Parliament of
England in 1266 under the reign of Henry III, requiring all bakers to use a distinctive
mark for the bread they sold. The first modern trademark laws emerged in the late 19th
century. In France the first comprehensive trademark system in the world was passed into
law in 1857. The Trade Marks Act 1938 of the United Kingdom changed the system,
permitting registration based on "intent-to-use”, creating an examination based process,
and creating an application publication system. The 1938 Act, which served as a model
for similar legislation elsewhere, contained other novel concepts such as "associated
trademarks", a consent to use system, a defensive mark system, and non claiming right
system.
6. Kinds of Trade Marks
There are several forms of a trademark based on their characteristics and features, the major division
of trademark types are done based on their categories. However, in India, a product mark, service
mark, collective mark, certification mark, shape mark, pattern mark and sound mark can be
registered as a trademark.
I. Product Mark
A product mark is similar to trademark only, but it is to identify the products or goods
instead of services. Herein the product is the unique selling feature of the company. To
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safeguard the product category and avoid any duplicity of the same a product mark is
registered.
Initially, the product marks are denoted by TM, which states that the mark is not yet
registered but in the process of registration. Once they are registered, they have to use ® to
give it recognition in the market. This applies to all types of trademarks.
So product marks are those that are attached to the goods and products specifically to give it
a distinct identity in the marketplace. Examples: Pepsi®, Maggi®, PHILIPS® etc.
II. Service Mark
This type of trademark is used to identify and distinguish the services rather than the
products provided by any enterprise. The service mark is for the intangible products which
include the action of helping or doing work for someone; it can also be a system supplying
public needs such as transport, communication or other utilities such as electricity, water,
etc. Service marks are also applicable for the routine maintenance or repair work.
The Service marks have their particular symbol which is SM and not TM. There is a very
thin line of difference between other trademark and service mark so many companies end
up having both. A very prominent example is McDonald's, which is a service mark for
restaurant services.
III. Collective Mark
As the name suggests these marks are linked with a group of people and not one single
product or service. These trademarks are primarily owned by an organization, institutes or
any association that is related to several members. The Collective marks are used by the
members to identify themselves with the level of quality or accuracy, also geographical
origin or other characteristics set by the organization they are related with.
Collective trademarks are "Badges of origin" which indicates the source of the individual. A
variety of traders uses not only individuals but the collective marks provided that the trader
belongs to that association.
To get a collective trademark certain regulations are to be fulfilled by specifying the
following information:
i. The name and seat of the organization,
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ii. The complete valid information contact details(name, address, etc.) about the
members under that association,
iii. The conditions of membership is also required to be mentioned,
iv. Mentioning the terms & conditions are applicable for using collective trademark,
v. The prescriptions relating to the control of the use of the collective trademark,
vi. The order of proceedings against unauthorized use of the collective trademark.
Examples are like "CA" device is used by the members who fall under Institute of
Chartered Accountants; another example is "CPA" which denotes members of the Society
of Certified Public Accountants.
IV. Certification Mark
The certification mark is created to show the standard of a company i.e. it is to show that a
trader's goods or services are certified as meeting particular standards. The issue of
certification mark states that the product has successfully passed a test that further says about
a certain standard that is reached by the product.
It assures the consumer that the manufacturers have gone through regular process of audit to
ensure the standard of production. The certification mark identifies the origin, material, and
most importantly, the quality of the goods and services that separates a particular
brand/company from the competitors in the market. These marks are used to access the
worth of labor in manufacturing goods and services.
In brief, Certification marks are used to define "standard" of goods and services.
Example: Woolmark, which is certified for the fabrics on clothing, Agmark, and ISI.
V. Shape marks
These marks can also be categorized in Trade Dress wherein, other than the logo, label, and
other identifiable symbols; a product can also be distinguished based on its packaging. An
example can be the Galliano liquor bottle.
By shape, it means the 3-D marks which are capable of making a difference in the goods
and services of one businessman from another. There is a new Trade Marks Ordinance
(Cap.559) which permits registration of such marks.
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To give you a more clear idea this is an example of shape mark which the Mogen David
wine bottle has registered for serving wine bottles: This is specifically known as trade dress
and the uniqueness can be protected under principles of trademark.
The competitors however intended to create confusion by labelling similar bottles but
Mogen David was able to stop them and revive its original distinctive nature to use it as a
trademark in the market.
To sum up shape trademarks, it has facilitated promotion of products and emerged into the
trademark type after the technological advancement of graphics and other forms of
animation technology. The graphical representation which is able to make a difference
amongst the products can be shape marked.
VI. Pattern Mark
The general meaning of pattern is a repetition of similar design, so it is a type of trademark
wherein the pattern is able to distinguish the product and services of one brand from another.
These are difficult to be distinguished and have high chances of infringement with near
similar designs. They at times, fail to make a distinction and the registration would not be
accepted unless they have evidence of distinctiveness.
A repeating pattern mark is any mark that is composed of a single element repeated to form
a combination of designs, numbers, letters, or other characters, forming a complete pattern
that is displayed on goods, on product packaging, the pattern can also be associated with the
material, advertising or provision of services.
In a repeating pattern mark, the repeating pattern/element is to be mentioned specifically in
the application for registering the trademark for avoiding any confusion. There are chances
the pattern mark can be rejected based on the below-written reasons:
i. Common or Widely Used Pattern
ii. Pattern Creates a Distinct Commercial Impression Apart from Other Matter
iii. Nature of Elements in the Repeating Pattern
iv. Industry Practice
v. It can be rejected because the mark fails to function as a source indicator.
VII. Sound Mark
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There has been an introduction of another form of trademark where the "mark" is of sound
graphics that distinguish the products and services of one from the other. Only those
notations of sound that are graphically represented can be registered as trademarks. Sound
marks being audio form of trademark is challenging but to figure out the accurate nature of
the sound mark based on its registration, there needs clarity in graphical representation of the
sound design.
The sound logo can comprise musical notes, words and sound graphics. The first Sound
Mark to be registered in India was Yahoo yodel followed by Nokia tune.
Unit 3
2. Procedure
I. Application for registration [Section 18 ]
i. Any person claiming to be the proprietor of a trade mark used or proposed to
be used by him, who is desirous of registering it, shall apply in writing to the
Registrar in the prescribed manner for the registration of his trade mark.
ii. A single application may be made for registration of a trade mark for different
classes of goods and services and fee payable therefor shall be in respect of
each such class of goods or services.
iii. Every application under sub-section (1) shall be filed in the office of the Trade
Marks Registry within whose territorial limits the principal place of business
in India of the applicant or in the case of joint applicants the principal place of
business in India of the applicant whose name is first mentioned in the
application as having a place of business in India, is situate: Provided that
where the applicant or any of the joint applicants does not carry on business in
India, the application shall be filed in the office of the Trade Marks Registry
within whose territorial limits the place mentioned in the address for service in
India as disclosed in the application, is situate.
iv. Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Registrar may refuse the application
or may accept it absolutely or subject to such amendments, modifications,
conditions or limitations, if any, as he may think fit.
v. In the case of a refusal or conditional acceptance of an application, the
Registrar shall record in writing the grounds for such refusal or conditional
acceptance and the materials used by him in arriving at his decision.
II. Withdrawal of acceptance [Section 19 ]
Where, after the acceptance of an application for registration of a trade mark but
before its registration, the Registrar is satisfied—
a. that the application has been accepted in error; or
b. That in the circumstances of the case the trade mark should not be registered or
should be registered subject to conditions or limitations or to conditions additional
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prescribed fee, allows, give notice in writing in the prescribed manner to the
Registrar, of opposition to the registration.
ii. The Registrar shall serve a copy of the notice on the applicant for registration
and, within two months from the receipt by the applicant of such copy of the
notice of opposition, the applicant shall send to the Registrar in the prescribed
manner a counter-statement of the grounds on which he relies for his
application, and if he does not do so he shall be deemed to have abandoned his
application.
iii. If the applicant sends such counter-statement, the Registrar shall serve a copy
thereof on the person giving notice of opposition.
iv. Any evidence upon which the opponent and the applicant may rely shall be
submitted in the prescribed manner and within the prescribed time to the
Registrar, and the Registrar shall give an opportunity to them to be heard, if
they so desire.
v. The Registrar shall, after hearing the parties, if so required, and considering
the evidence, decide whether and subject to what conditions or limitations, if
any, the registration is to be permitted, and may take into account a ground of
objection whether relied upon by the opponent or not.
vi. Where a person giving notice of opposition or an applicant sending a counter-
statement after receipt of a copy of such notice neither resides nor carries on
business in India, the Registrar may require him to give security for the costs
of proceedings before him, and in default of such security being duly given,
may treat the opposition or application, as the case may be, as abandoned.
vii. The Registrar may, on request, permit correction of any error in, or any
amendment of, a notice of opposition or a counter-statement on such terms as
he thinks just.
V. Correction and amendment [Section 22]
The Registrar may, on such terms as he thinks just, at any time, whether before or
after acceptance of an application for registration under section 18, permit the
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from the expiration of the last registration of the trade mark, on receipt of an
application in the prescribed form and on payment of the prescribed fee, if
satisfied that it is just so to do, restore the trade mark to the register and renew
the registration of the trade mark either generally or subject to such conditions
or limitations as he thinks fit to impose, for a period of ten years from the
expiration of the last registration.
II. Effect of removal from register for failure to pay fee for renewal [Section 26]
Where a trade mark has been removed from the register for failure to pay the fee
for renewal, it shall nevertheless, for the purpose of any application for the
registration of another trade mark during one year, next after the date of the
removal, be deemed to be a trade mark already on the register, unless the tribunal
is satisfied either—
a. that there has been no bona fide trade use of the trade mark which has been
removed during the two years immediately preceding its removal; or
b. that no deception or confusion would be likely to arise from the use of the trade
mark which is the subject of the application for registration by reason of any
previous use of the trade mark which has been removed.
III. No action for infringement of unregistered trade mark [Section 27]
i. No person shall be entitled to institute any proceeding to prevent, or to recover
damages for, the infringement of an unregistered trade mark.
ii. Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to affect rights of action against any
person for passing off goods or services as the goods of another person or as
services provided by another person, or the remedies in respect thereof.
4. Effect of Registration
I. No action for infringement of unregistered trade mark [ Section 27]
i. No person shall be entitled to institute to institute any proceeding to
prevent, or to recover damages for, the infringement of an unregistered
trade mark.
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ii. Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to affect rights of action against any
person for passing off goods or services as the goods of another person or
as services provided by another person, or the remedies in respect thereof.
II. Rights conferred by registration [Section 28]
i. Subject to the other provisions of this Act, the registration of a trade mark
shall, if valid, give to the registered proprietor of the trade mark the
exclusive right to the use of the trade mark in relation to the goods or
service in respect of which the trade mark is registered and to obtain relief
in respect of infringement of the trade mark in the manner provided by this
Act.
ii. The exclusive right to the use of a trade mark given under sub-section (1)
shall be subject to any conditions and limitations to which the registration
is subject.
iii. Where two or more persons are registered proprietors of trade marks,
which are identical with or nearly resemble reach other, the exclusive right
to the use of any of those trade marks shall not (except so far as their
respective rights are subject to any conditions or limitations entered on the
register) be deemed to have been acquired by any one of those persons as
against any other of those persons merely by registration of the trade
marks but each of those persons have otherwise the same rights as against
other persons (not being registered proprietor.
III. Registration to be prima facie evidence of validity [Section 31]
i. In all legal proceedings relating to a trade mark registered under this Act
(including applications under section 57), the original registration of the
trade mark and of all subsequent assignments and transmissions of the
trade mark shall be prima facie evidence of the validity thereof.
ii. In all legal proceeding as aforesaid a registered trade mark shall not be
held to be invalid on the ground that it was not a registrable trade mark
under section 9 except upon evidence of distinctiveness and that such
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which that person or a predecessor in title of his has continuously used that trade
mark from a date prior-
(a) to the use of the first-mentioned trade mark in relation to those goods or
services be the proprietor or a predecessor in title of his, or
(b) to the date of registration of the first-mentioned trade mark in respect of those
goods or services in the name of the proprietor of a predecessor in title of his.
Whichever is the earlier, and the Registrar shall not refuse (on such use being
proved), to register the second mentioned trade mark by reason only of the
registration of the first mentioned trade mark.
VII. Saving for use of name, address or description of goods or services [Section
35] Nothing in this Act shall entitle the proprietor or a registered user of a
registered trade mark to interfere with any bona fide use by a person of his own
name or that of this place of business, or of the name, or of the name of the name
of the place of business, of any of his predecessors in business, or the use by any
person of any bona fide description of the character or quality of his goods or
services
5. Infringement of Trade Marks and remedies
I. Infringement of registered trade marks [Section 29]
i. A registered trade mark is infringed by a person who, not being a
registered proprietor or a person using by way of permitted use, uses in the
course of trade, a mark which is identical with, or deceptively similar to,
the trade mark in relation to goods or services in respect of which the trade
mark is registered and in such manner as to render the use of the mark
likely to be taken as being used as a trade mark.
ii. A registered trade mark is infringed by a person who, not being a
registered proprietor or a person using by way of permitted use, uses in the
course of trade, a mark which because of—
a. its identity with the registered trade mark and the similarity of the
goods or services covered by such registered trade mark; or
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b. its similarity to the registered trade mark and the identity or similarity
of the goods or services covered by such registered trade mark; or
c. its identity with the registered trade mark and the identity of the goods
or services covered by such registered trade mark, is likely to cause
confusion on the part of the public, or which is likely to have an
association with the registered trade mark.
iii. In any case falling under clause (c) of sub-section (2), the court shall
presume that it is likely to cause confusion on the part of the public.
iv. A registered trade mark is infringed by a person who, not being a
registered proprietor or a person using by way of permitted use, uses in the
course of trade, a mark which—
a. is identical with or similar to the registered trade mark; and
b. is used in relation to goods or services which are not similar to those
for which the trade mark is registered; and
c. the registered trade mark has a reputation in India and the use of the
mark without due cause takes unfair advantage of or is detrimental to,
the distinctive character or repute of the registered trade mark.
v. A registered trade mark is infringed by a person if he uses such registered
trade mark, as his trade name or part of his trade name, or name of his
business concern or part of the name, of his business concern dealing in
goods or services in respect of which the trade mark is registered.
vi. For the purposes of this section, a person uses a registered mark, if, in
particular, he—
a. affixes it to goods or the packaging thereof;
b. offers or exposes goods for sale, puts them on the market, or stocks
them for those purposes under the registered trade mark, or offers or
supplies services under the registered trade mark;
c. imports or exports goods under the mark; or
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assignment. The law relating to transmission of a trademark is the same as that for
assignment.
7. Registered user of trade marks [Section 48]
I. Subject to the provisions of section 49, a person other than the registered
proprietor of a trade mark may be registered as a registered user thereof in respect
of any or all of the goods or services in respect of which the trade mark is
registered.
II. The permitted use of a trade mark shall be deemed to be used by the proprietor
thereof, and shall be deemed not to be used by a person other than the proprietor,
for the purposes of section 47 or for any other purpose for which such use is
material under this Act or any other law.
Unit 4
in the unit and in such other manner as may be required by the said
rules; and
c. except where the goods are sold from the premises for export from
India, unless each bundle or unit is conspicuously marked with the
name of the manufacturer or of the wholesale purchaser in India of the
goods: Provided that the rules made under section 82 shall exempt all
premises where the work is done by members of one family with or
without the assistance of not more than ten other employees, and all
premises controlled by a co-operative society where not more than
twenty workers are employed in the premises.
3. Offence and Penalties
I. Penalty for applying false trade marks, trade descriptions, etc [Section 103]
Any person who—
i. falsifies any trade mark; or
ii. falsely applies to goods or services any trade mark; or
iii. makes, disposes of, or has in his possession, any die, block, machine, plate
or other instrument for the purpose of falsifying or of being used for
falsifying, a trade mark; or
iv. applies any false trade description to goods or services; or
II. Penalty for selling goods or providing services to which false trade mark or false
trade description is applied [Section104]
Any person who sells, lets for hire or exposes for sale, or hires or has in his
possession for sale, goods or things, or provides or hires services, to which any
false trade mark or false trade description is applied or which, being required
under section 139 to have applied to them an indication of the country or place in
which they were made or produced or the name and address of the manufacturer,
or person for whom the goods are manufactured or services provided, as the case
may be, are without the indications so required, shall, unless he proves.
III. Enhanced penalty on second or subsequent conviction [Section 105]
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iv. to the effect that registration of a trade mark gives an exclusive right to the
use thereof in any circumstances in which, having regard to limitation
entered on the register, the registration does not in fact give that right.
VI. Penalty for improperly describing a place of business as connected with the Trade
Marks Office [Section 108]
If any person uses on his place of business, or on any document issued by him, or
otherwise, words which would reasonably lead to the belief that his place of
business is, or is officially connected with, the Trade Marks Office, he shall be
punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with
fine, or with both.
VII. Penalty for falsification of entries in the register [Section 109]
If any person makes, or causes to be made, a false entry in the register, or a
writing falsely purporting to be a copy of an entry in the register, or produces or
tenders or causes to be produced or tendered, in evidence any such writing,
knowing the entry or writing to be false, he shall be punishable with
imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with
both.
4. Law relating to protection of Plant Breeders Rights
Plant breeders' rights (PBR), also known as plant variety rights (PVR), are rights granted
to the breeder of a new variety of plant that give the breeder exclusive control over the
propagating material (including seed, cuttings, divisions, tissue culture) and harvested
material (cut flowers, fruit, foliage) of a new variety for a number of years.
With these rights, the breeder can choose to become the exclusive marketer of the variety,
or to license the variety to others. In order to qualify for these exclusive rights, a variety
must be new, distinct, uniform, and stable. A variety is:
i. new if it has not been commercialized for more than one year in the country of
protection;
ii. distinct if it differs from all other known varieties by one or more important
botanical characteristics, such as height, maturity, color, etc.;
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iii. uniform if the plant characteristics are consistent from plant to plant within the
variety;
iv. stable if the plant characteristics are genetically fixed and therefore remain the
same from generation to generation, or after a cycle of reproduction in the case
of hybrid varieties.
The breeder must also give the variety an acceptable "denomination", which becomes its
generic name and must be used by anyone who markets the variety.
Typically, plant variety rights are granted by national offices after examination. Seed is
submitted to the plant variety office, who grow it for one or more seasons, to check that it
is distinct, stable, and uniform. If these tests are passed, exclusive rights are granted for a
specified period (typically 20/25 years, or 25/30 years for trees and vines). Annual
renewal fees are required to maintain the rights.
Breeders can bring suit to enforce their rights and can recover damages for infringement.
Plant breeders' rights contain exemptions from infringement that are not recognized under
patent law. Commonly, there is an exemption for farm-saved seed. Farmers may store
this production in their own bins for their own use as seed, but this does not necessarily
extend to brown-bag sales of seed. Further sales for propagation purposes are not allowed
without the written approval of the breeder. There is also a breeders' exemption (research
exemption in the 1991 Act) that allows breeders to use protected varieties as sources of
initial variation to create new varieties of plants (1978 Act), or for other experimental
purposes (1991 Act). There is also a provision for compulsory licensing to assure public
access to protected varieties if the national interest requires it and the breeder is unable to
meet the demand.
There is tension over the relationship between patent rights and plant breeder's rights.
There has been litigation in Australia, the United States, and Canada over the overlap
between such rights. Each of these cases was decided on the principle that patents and
plant breeders' rights were overlapping and not mutually exclusive. Thus, the exemptions
from infringement of plant breeders' rights, such as the saved seed exemption, do not
create corresponding exemptions from infringement of the patents covering the same
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plants. Likewise, acts that infringe the plant breeders' rights, such as exportation of the
variety, would not necessarily infringe a patent on the variety, which only allows the
patent owner to prohibit making, using, or selling the patented invention.
5.
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Unit 5
vii. falsely represent to the persons that the goods originate in another
territory, region or locality, as the case may be
IV. Effect of Registration and Infringement
Registration of a GI gives its owner and the authorised users the exclusive right to
use the indications on the good in which it is registered. Further, registration gives
right to institution of suit against infringement and recovery of damages for such
infringement. Infringement can be caused by use of the GI on such goods which
indicates that such goods originate in such place other than its true place of origin
or due to unfair competition. However, in case of non-registered GIs, a case
of passing off can be instituted. Registration acts as a prima facie evidence of
validity of the indication and ownership. The registration cannot be transferred,
mortgaged, assigned or licensed, except in case of inheritance of the mark upon
death of an authorised user.
Any person who falsely applies or falsifies any geographical indication, tampers
the origin of a good, make or have in possession of dye, blocks, machines to use
in falsification of GI may be punished shall not be less than six months but which
may extend to three years and with fine which shall not be less than fifty thousand
rupees but which may extend to two lakhs rupees. In case of second and for every
subsequent offence, a person can be punished with imprisonment for a term which
shall not be less than one year but which may extend to three years and with fine
which shall not be less than one lakh rupees but which may extend to two lakh
rupees. However, the judge may under certain condition may reduce the sentence,
and reasons for reduction of punishment must be written in the judgment. Other
offences includes, falsely represent a GI to be registered, falsification of entries in
register, falsely representing a place to be connected with GI Registry.
2. Bio-diversiaty Act
The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 is an Act of the Parliament of India for preservation
of biological diversity in India, and provides mechanism for equitable sharing of benefits
arising out of the use of traditional biological resources and knowledge. The Act was
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WTO member nations. TRIPS was negotiated at the end of the Uruguay Round of
the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) between 1989 and 1990 and is
administered by the WTO.
The TRIPS agreement introduced intellectual property law into the multilateral trading
system for the first time and remains the most comprehensive multilateral agreement on
intellectual property to date. In 2001, developing countries, concerned that developed
countries were insisting on an overly narrow reading of TRIPS, initiated a round of talks
that resulted in the Doha Declaration. The Doha declaration is a WTO statement that
clarifies the scope of TRIPS, stating for example that TRIPS can and should be
interpreted in light of the goal "to promote access to medicines for all."
Specifically, TRIPS requires WTO members to provide copyright rights, covering
authors and other copyright holders, as well as holders of related rights, namely
performers, sound recording producers and broadcasting organisations; geographical
indications; industrial designs; integrated circuit layout-designs; patents; new plant
varieties; trademarks; trade names and undisclosed or confidential information. TRIPS
also specify enforcement procedures, remedies, and dispute resolution procedures.
Protection and enforcement of all intellectual property rights shall meet the objectives to
contribute to the promotion of technological innovation and to the transfer and
dissemination of technology, to the mutual advantage of producers and users of
technological knowledge and in a manner conducive to social and economic welfare, and
to a balance of rights and obligations.