WORLD TRADE IP/N/1/ZAF/1
16April 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-1367)
Original: English Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
NOTIFICATION OFLAWS AND REGULATIONS
UNDER ARTICLE 63.2OFTHE AGREEMENT
South Africa
Thefollowing communication, dated 20February 1996, hasbeenreceived fromthePermanent
Delegation ofSouth Africa totheWTO inGeneva.
_______________
IhavethehonourtosubmitSouthAfrica'snotificationoflawsandregulationsunderArticle63.2
oftheAgreement onTrade-Related Aspects ofIntellectual Property Rights.
Annex Ibelow setsoutthe"main dedicated intellectual property lawsandregulations" and
alsocontains briefdescriptions oftheircontent.
Annex IIcontains thelisting of"other lawsandregulations" asrequired bytheprocedures
reflected indocument IP/C/4.
Copies ofallActsandRegulations listed areattached tothisnotification.
Thenotification alsoincludes asection (Annex III)onproposed statutory amendments which
areintheprocess ofbeing submitted toParliament forapproval.IP/N/1/ZAF/1
Page2
ANNEX I
MAIN DEDICATED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAWS AND REGULATIONS
TITLE
DATE OFADOPTION
ENTRY INTO FORCEBRIEF DESCRIPTION
Copyright andRelated Rights1
Copyright Act,No.98of1978
Assented to:20June1978
DateofCommencement: 1January 1979
Registration ofCopyright inCinemato-
graphic Films Act,No.62of1977
Assented to:11May1977
DateofCommencement: 1November
1980
Copyright Regulations, No.R2530 of
22December 1978
Performers 'Protection Act,No.11of1967
Assented to:10February 1967
DateofCommencement: 30December
1967
Registration ofCopyright inCinematograph
Films Regulations, No.R2140 of24October
1980ThisActregulates copyright. Itprotects the
following works: literary works, musical works,
artistic works, cinematograph filmworks, sound
recordings, broadcasts, programme-carrying
signals, published editions andcomputer
programs. Theduration ofcopyright inthe
above-mentioned works isnotlessthan
50years.
ThisActprovides fortheregistration of
copyright incinematograph films onavoluntary
basis. Theduration ofregistration isforsuch
period oftimeasprovided forthesubsistence of
thecopyright byvirtue oftheprovisions ofthe
Copyright Act,No.98of1978, i.e.50years. A
registration constitutes evidence ofcopyright.
These regulations provide forpermitted
reproduction, reproduction bylibraries or
archive depots, sound recording royalties,
copyright tribunal proceedings andforms tobe
usedtogether withfeespayable thereunder.
ThisActprovides fortheprotection of
performances ofliterary, musical andartistic
works staged inSouth Africa orinaRome
Convention country where protection isgranted
toSouth African performances. Theduration of
suchprotection is20years.
These regulations provide forprocedural aspects
ofapplications forregistration ofcinematograph
films, opposition, assignments, exclusive licence
recordals, deregistration, forms usedandfees
payable thereunder.
1Seedocuments IP/N/1/ZAF/C/1 and2.IP/N/1/ZAF/1
Page3
TITLE
DATE OFADOPTION
ENTRY INTO FORCEBRIEF DESCRIPTION
Trademarks2
Trade Marks Act,No.194of1993
Assented to:22December 1993
DateofCommencement: 1May1995
Trade Mark Regulations, No.R578 of
21April 1995
Geographical Indications
Nospecific Acthasyetbeenpassed onthis
subject butthefollowing measures may,
where appropriate, beofuse:
Sections 42and43oftheTrade Marks Act,
No.194of19933
Section 6oftheMerchandise Marks Act,
No.17of19414ThisActprovides fortheregistration oftrade
marks, certification trade marks andcollective
trade marks. Theduration ofregistration is10
years, renewable indefinitely. Itrenders dilution
unlawful. Further ithasspecific provisions for
theprotection ofwellknown foreign trade marks.
These Regulations provide forapplications for
registration, opposition, assignment, registered
userrecordal, deregistration, forms prescribed
andfeespayable thereunder.
These Sections provide fortheprotection of
registered certification trade marks andcollective
trade marks respectively. Geographical
indications mayberegistered intheform of
collective trade marks orintheform of
certification trade marks andthusbeprotected in
South Africa.
ThisSection outlaws thefalseapplication ofa
trade description. Geographical indications
inherently describe thequality ofgoods and,
thus, iftheyarefalsely applied togoods, that
becomes anoffence interms ofthisSection.
2Seedocuments IP/N/1/ZAF/T/1 and2
3Seeabove under "Trademarks"
4Seedocument IP/N/1/ZAF/G/1IP/N/1/ZAF/1
Page4
TITLE
DATE OFADOPTION
ENTRY INTO FORCEBRIEF DESCRIPTION
Section 7oftheMerchandise Marks Act,
No.17of19414
Section 12oftheLiquor Products Act,
No.60of19894
Industrial Designs5
Designs Act,No.195of1993
Assented to:22December 1993
DateofCommencement: 1May1995
Designs Regulations, No.R587 of28April
1995ThisSection outlaws thesaleofgoods withfalse
descriptions. Goods bearing falsegeographical
indications areprohibited from being soldin
South Africa through thisSection astheybear
falsedescriptions.
ThisSection prohibits falseormisleading
descriptions forliquor products. Geographical
indications pertaining toliquor products are,in
fact,descriptions ofsuchproducts and,
therefore, iftheyarefalseormisleading, this
Section maybeusedtodealwiththesituation.
ThisActprovides fortheregistration and
protection ofindustrial designs. Industrial
designs aredivided intoaesthetic designs and
functional designs. Functional designs include
integrated circuits topography andmask works.
Theduration ofdesign rights is15years for
aesthetic designs and10years forfunctional
designs.
These Regulations provide fortheapplication for
registration, opposition, assignment,
deregistration, forms used, andfeespayable
thereunder.
4Seedocument IP/N/1/ZAF/G/1
5Seedocuments IP/N/1/ZAF/D/1 and2IP/N/1/ZAF/1
Page5
TITLE
DATE OFADOPTION
ENTRY INTO FORCEBRIEF DESCRIPTION
Patents (Including Plant Variety
Protection)6
Patents Act,No.57of1978
Assented to:26April 1978
DateofCommencement: 1January 1979
Patent Regulations, No.R6247 of
15December 1978
Layout-Designs (Topographies) of
Integrated Circuits
Designs Act,No.195of19937
Assented to:22December 1993
DateofCommencement: 1May1995
Protection ofUndisclosed InformationThisActprovides fortheregistration and
granting ofletters patent forinventions. The
duration ofapatent is20years andisnon-
extendable. Thetestofnovelty isabsolute
novelty.
These Regulations provide forapplications for
registration, opposition, assignment,
deregistration, forms used, andfeespayable
thereunder.
ThisActprovides fortheregistration and
protection ofindustrial designs. Industrial
designs aredivided intoaesthetic designs and
functional designs. Functional designs include
integrated circuits topography andmask works.
Theduration ofdesign rights is10years for
functional designs.
Nolawhasbeenpromulgated byParliament on
thistopic. Undisclosed information isprotected
under common lawaction ofunlawful
competition. Unlawful competition maytakethe
form offilching ofsecret andconfidential
information byacompetitor andtheunlawful use
ofarival'ssecret information, nomatter how
suchinformation wasobtained. Further,
confidential information maybeprotected under
thecommon lawagainst agents, directors and
employees breaching theirfiduciary duties
towards theircompanies oremployers orby
means ofanevolving action ofbreach of
confidence.
6Seedocuments IP/N/1/ZAF/P/1 and2
7Seeabove under "Industrial Designs"IP/N/1/ZAF/1
Page6
TITLE
DATE OFADOPTION
ENTRY INTO FORCEBRIEF DESCRIPTION
Control ofAnti-Competitive Practices in
Contractual Licences
Section 90ofthePatents Act,No.57of19788
Section 2oftheMaintenance andPromotion of
Competition Act,No.96of19799ThisSection, interalia,prohibits theinclusion
ofcertain restrictive conditions inlicensing
agreements.
ThisSection, whilst recognising that
intellectual property rights willnotbe
restricted bytheprovisions oftheMaintenance
andPromotion ofCompetition Act,
nevertheless, interalia,prohibits an
agreement orarrangement where intellectual
property rights areconcerned, which willhave
theeffect ofincreasing orfixing prices.
8Seeabove under "Patents (Including Plant Variety Protection)"
9Seedocument IP/N/1/ZAF/O/1IP/N/1/ZAF/1
Page7
ANNEX II
OTHER LAWS AND REGULATIONS
TITLE
DATE OFADOPTION
ENTRY INTO FORCEBRIEF DESCRIPTION
Trademarks
Merchandise Marks Act,No.17of1941
Assented to:7April 1941
DateofCommencement: 18October
1941
Liquor Products Act,No.60of1989
Assented to:17May1989
DateofCommencement: 1July1990
Regulations fortheprohibition oftheuseof
certain names ordescriptions forwine,
No.R426 of16March 1962ThisActregulates themarking ofmerchandise
andofcoverings inorwithwhich merchandise is
soldandtheuseofcertain words oremblems in
connection withbusiness. Primarily, itoutlaws
falsedescription ofgoods astoquality, kind,
origin, measure, ownership, etc.
ThisActprovides forcontrol overthesaleand
production forsaleofcertain alcoholic products,
thecomposition andproperties ofsuchproducts
andtheuseofcertain particulars inconnection
withthesaleofsuchproducts. Itprovides for
thecontrol overtheimport andexport ofcertain
alcoholic products.
These regulations listcertain names or
descriptions ofwinewhich arenottobeusedas
names ofSouth African wines andalsoprohibits
thesaleinSouth Africa ofanywinebearing
those names anddescriptions ifnotoriginating in
France.IP/N/1/ZAF/1
Page8
TITLE
DATE OFADOPTION
ENTRY INTO FORCEBRIEF DESCRIPTION
Patents
Plant Breeders 'Rights Act,No.15of1976
Assented to:15March 1976
DateofCommencement: 1November
1977
Nuclear Energy Act,No.131of1993
Assented to:24September 1993
DateofCommencement: 1March 1994ThisActprovides forasystem whereunder
rights relating tonewvarieties ofcertain kinds
ofplants maybegranted andregistered. It
further provides fortheprotection ofsuchrights
andthegrant oflicences inrespect ofthe
exercise thereof.
Section 25ofthisActprovides forthepatenting
ofinventions inrespect ofnuclear material,
restricted material, nuclear energy andnuclear
related equipment andmaterial;
Section 26ofthisActprohibits anySouth
African citizen, resident orajuristic person
registered intheRepublic from applying ina
country outside theRepublic forapatent foran
invention orimprovement inrespect ofthe
processing, useorproduction ofsource material,
special nuclear related equipment andmaterial or
theproduction ofnuclear energy.IP/N/1/ZAF/1
Page9
ANNEX III
NEW BILLS AND AMENDMENTS TOTHE VARIOUS ACTS INORDER
TOENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH TRIPS PROVISIONS
Thefollowing Actsareintheprocess ofamendment inorder toensure compliance withprovisions
oftheTRIPS Agreement:
1.Patents Act,No.57of1978
Amendments tothisActareaimed at:
(1) Theremoval ofuncertainties relating tothepayment ofrenewal fees;
(2) Priority dates ofmatter (asopposed topatent claims);
(3) Theprinciples ofprivilege intherelationship between patent agents andclients;
(4) Theassessment ofdamage;
(5) Theintroduction ofprovisions enabling theRepublic tobecome aparty tothePatent
Cooperation Treaty.
2.Trademarks Act,No.194of1993
Amendments tothisActareeffected toensure complete compliance withtheprovisions ofthe
TRIPS Agreement andArticle 6teroftheParis Convention.
3.Copyright Act,No.98of1978
Amendments tothisActareaimed at:
(1) Certain extensions tothescope ofcopyright incomputer programs;
(2) Adjustment ofthetermofcopyright incinematographic films;
(3) Adjustment oftheActtokeepabreast withadvances intechnology andtheincreased usage
ofelectronic anddigital storage ofinformation orsignals;
(4) Changing thedefinitions of"cinematograph film", "record" and"sound recording" and
therequirement thatawork mustexistinamaterial forminorder toqualify forcopyright;
(5) Amending theprovisions oftheActrelating todamages andother compensation dueto
acopyright owner pursuant toinfringement inorder tobring theCopyright Actinconformity
withcorresponding provisions oftheDesigns Act,No.195of1993 andtheTrademarks
Act,No.194of1993.IP/N/1/ZAF/1
Page10
4.Designs Act,No.195of1993
Amendments tothisActareaimed atensuring complete compliance withtheprovisions ofthe
TRIPS Agreement andtocorrect, clarify andamplify certain ofitsprovisions.
5.Merchandise Marks Act,No.17of1941
Theamendments tothisActareaimed atmodernising itsprovisions andtoputitinresonance
withtheCounterfeit Goods Billwhich willbepromulgated soon.
6.Performer 'sProtection Act,No.11of1967
Amendments tothisActareaimed at:
(1) Providing forthetermofprotection under theActtobeextended from20years to50years;
(2) Making theActapply retrospectively;
(3) Making certain adjustments totheActsoastokeepabreast withadvances intechnology
andincreased usage ofelectronic anddigital storage ofinformation orsignals;
(4) Providingforanextensionofthedefinitionof"fixation"totakeaccountofdigitaltechnology;
(5) Modernization ofcertain provisions oftheAct.
7.Counterfeit Goods Bill
ThisBillmakes provision forthetrading ingoods which imitate other goods andarecalculated
todeceive thepublic intobelieving thattheyaresuchother goods ortheproducts oftheir
manufacturer tobedeclared unlawful. TheBillalsomakes provision forprocedural andother
matters pertaining toaction tobetaken tocounter unlawful trading incounterfeit goods.