Parliament is expected to push through the long over due Intellectual Property Act by mid June.
Parliament gave the Act a preliminary hearing on May 22 with officials now expecting the Prime Ministers interest in the new legislation to accelerate the process.
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rnAn out of court dispute resolution mechanism is among the highlights in the new act.rn
rnNew provisions for enforcement have also been included, dishing out more powers to law enforcers rn
rnRenting and selling of pirated material will be added to the existing rule which only makes reproduction illegal.rn
rnThis will include many products that used to be traded as low-technology goods or commodities as they now contain a higher proportion of invention and design in their value emdash for example brand named clothing or new varieties of plants.rn
rnThe implication of the new Act on local industries is still unknown, but industry analysts expect businesses built on selling intellectual property rights infringed material to go on for