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Annual Technical Report 2004 on Industrial Design Information Activities submitted by Malawi (SCIT/ATR/ID/2004/MW)

Where URLs are requested below, it is preferred that either URLs which are likely to remain stable over time (three years or more) are provided, or home (main) page URLs are provided with a short explanation of how to access the corresponding information.

The expression "industrial designs" covers industrial designs and models. Offices which issue design patents should report their design patent information activities in this series of Annual Technical Reports.

I. Evolution of registration activities

Changes experienced in terms of application filings and grants (registrations) with respect to the previous year

In 2004 the office received 24 applications compared to 10 in 2003. Of these, 3 applications were filed by national applicants and 21 applications by foreign applicants. The number of industrial design s registered in 2004 was 3, significantly less than 11 designs registered the previous year.

Trends or areas experiencing rapid changes with respect to the previous year

The number of industrial designs registered in 2004 was 3, significantly less than 11 designs registered the previous year

II. Matters concerning the generation, reproduction, and distribution of industrial design documents and of secondary sources of industrial design information, i.e., official gazettes

Publishing, including printing, copying techniques and electronic printing

Announcements of renewals are done through journals.

Main types of announcements of the Office in the field of industrial design information

Announcement of renewal are done through journals.

Mass storage media and microforms used

Information is kept in papers.

Databases and office automation

Activities relating to WIPO's (IPRAS) Intellectual Property Registration and Administration System are underway and progressing.

III. Matters concerning classifying, reclassifying and indexing of industrial design information according to the classification systems applied

Classification and reclassification activities; Classification system used, e.g., International Classification for Industrial Designs (Locarno Classification), other classification (please indicate whether industrial designs are classified by your Office and, if so, which classification is used)

For the purpose of examination the Internation Classification for Industrial Designs (Locarno Classification) is used.

Bibliographic data and processing for search purposes

Bibliographic data for search purposes.

IV. Search file establishment and upkeep

File building

Registers for applications and registered designs are kept.

Updating

Registers for applications and registered designs are updated regularly.

Storage, including mass storage media

Information is kept in paper form.

Documentation from other offices maintained and/or considered part of the available search file

The office receives documentations from Japan.

V. Activities in the field of computerized search systems for industrial designs

In-house systems (online/offline)

Automation plan accumulating data in the database is in the pipeline.

External databases

Activities relating to WIPO's Industrial Property Registration and Administration System (IPRAS) are underway and progressing.

Administrative management systems (e.g., register, legal status, statistics, administrative support, etc.)

Statistics are prepared by examining officers.

Equipment used (hardware, including the types of terminal and network used, and software), data carriers used

We will be using computers once IPRAS is ready. Network not installed.

VI. Administration of industrial design services available to the public (relating to facilities, e.g., for lodging applications, registering designs, assisting clients with search procedures, obtaining official publications and registry extracts)

Planning, administration, automation, security

Applications are lodged by clients through agents.

Collection management, preservation

Personal aided search is allowed for interested applicants.

Information services available to the public (including computerized services and search files contained in libraries remote from your Office and industrial design information posted by your Office on the World Wide Web).

All necessary search is done within the office. No information on the web.

VII. Matters concerning mutual exchange of industrial design documentation and information

International or regional cooperation in the exchange of industrial design information, e.g., in the form of official gazettes

Currently the Malawi Industrial Design registry only receives WIPO MAGAZINE and ARIPO Journal.

Exchange of machine-readable information, e.g., data contained on CD-ROM or magnetic tape

NO

VIII. Matters concerning education and training including technical assistance to developing countries

Promotional activities (seminars, exhibitions, visits, advertising, etc.)

During the period under review, the office held two workshops sensitizing the business community on the importance of intellectual property rights. Office staff were guest speakers.

Training courses for national and foreign participants

No

Assistance to developing countries (sending consultants and experts, receiving trainees from developing countries, etc.)

No

IX. Other relevant matters

In the year 2004 three officers attended workshops and conferences in the following countries:-

(a ) WTO Regional Workshop on TRIPS for English Speaking Countries in Sandtown, Republic of South Africa.

(b ) Jitap Subregional Workshop on the Dissemination of Toolkit for Module II on Reference Centres and National Enquiry Points in Gaborone, Botswana.

(c ) WTO Council for TRIPS in Geneva, Switzerland

(d) Ministerial Conference on Intellectual Property for Least Developed Countries in Seoul, Republic of Korea.

(e ) WIPO 40th Series of Assemblies in Geneva, Switzerland.

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