Digitization of IP Documents (Patents, Trademarks, Industrial Designs, and Utility Models) for the Government of Malawi

December 13, 2022

In 2022, WIPO concluded a digitization project of IP documents (patents, trademarks, industrial designs, and utility models) for the government of Malawi – under the Ministry of Justice; Constitutional Affairs, Department of the Registrar General (DRG) in cooperation with the DRG and with support from the Funds-In-Trust Japan Industrial Property Global (FIT/Japan IP Global).

The objectives of this project were:

  1. to improve accessibility to documents during examination and processing of applications/registrations;
  2. to secure and preserve IP files by having them available in both physical and digital form;
  3. to facilitate the exchange of IP data both regionally and internationally; and
  4. to improve IP process governance, transparency, and accountability.

Approximately 500,000 pages (Patents, Trademarks, Industrial Designs, and Utility Models) were digitized in this project.

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