The review of the Fiji Intellectual Property Office (FIPO) will be carried out within six months.
Acting Attorney-General Siromi Turaga said a Cabinet paper was being prepared for the modernisation and strategic repositioning of FIPO that would include necessary legislative reforms.
He said following the appointment of a director, government was working towards strengthening FIPO’s internal structures.
“This strengthened structure, together with digital infrastructure and legislative reforms, will enable FIPO to more effectively protect Fijian creators, safeguard traditional knowledge and cultural expressions, and ensure that the economic benefits from intellectual property flow back to our communities,” he said.
“FIPO is our national authority for intellectual property rights.
“It manages trademarks, patents, traditional knowledge and expressions of culture (TKEC), and copyright.
“Beyond registrations, it works closely with Government, communities, and international partners to raise awareness, strengthen laws, prevent counterfeiting, and ensure that Fijian entrepreneurs, artists, and innovators are rewarded for their work.”
He added that for more than 20 years, there was little commitment to strengthening or prioritising FIPO. “That ends now. This Government is committed to building an institution that not only registers rights but actively protects the cultural and creative wealth of our people.”
