SAC Vice Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win addresses meeting 1/2022 of Central Committee on Copyright
NAY PYI TAW June 3
The Central Committee on Copyright held the meeting 1/2022 at the Conference Hall of Ministry of Commerce here at 2 pm today, addressed by State Administration Council Vice Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win.
Also present were Union Minister Dr Pwint Hsan, deputy ministers, the permanent secretary, directors general and officials.
The Vice-Senior General said it is the 1/2022 meeting of the central committee reestablishment by SAC. The government of the Union of Myanmar enacted Trademark Copyright Law, Industrial Design Copyright Law, Invention Copyright Law, and Literature and Art Copyright Law on 30 January 2019.
The Commerce Ministry will take the responsibility of implementing the task. Customs Department, Planning and Finance Ministry and Union, and Supreme Court of the Union will take action against copyright violations. As regards the copyright issue, Chapter 1, Basic Principles, Section 37 (c) of the 2008 Constitution states, “The Union shall permit citizens right of private property, right of inheritance, and right of private initiative and patent in accord with the law” and Section 372 Chapter 8, “The Union guarantees the right to ownership, the use of property and the right to private invention and patent in the conducting of business if it is not contrary to the provisions.”
Protection of copyrights will support national economic development in implementing the State’s economic objectives.
In this age of Globalization, the role of copyright issue is becoming more important for the government, departments, entrepreneurs and private businesspersons, alongside the rapid technological development. The use of the copyright registration system will be much supportive of the development of industries based on creative business and the emergence of government and private sectors with high innovation and competitive power included in the 2018-2030 sustainable and balanced development project for realizing Myanmar’s economic policies.
There are laws, rules, procedures and reforms to implement the copyright laws for the resurgence of the country’s economy.
Hence, the establishment of a copyright registration system should be seen as a good support for national economic growth. Myanmar is a member of WTO and WIPO. So, it must observe all the trade agreements in connection with the copyright issue. As it is also an ASEAN member state, the country must partake in the copyright agreements among the member states.
The ASEAN copy right project included in the ASEAN Economic Community is being implemented and regional countries are practicing copy right systems to felicitate investment and commodity flow.
Like other member countries, Myanmar is working to adopt a copy right system by drafting and passing copyright laws as quickly as possible. Moreover, preparatory measures must be taken to enter international treaties on copyright as per the ASEAN copyright.
The copyright system to be adopted in the State requires international standards. It also needs to be compatible with the country’s prevailing political, economic and education conditions. In implementing the four copyright laws, a systematic measure is necessary to do one after another. As such, cooperation is required from relevant ministries, government departments that will be assigned duties in the copyright central committee and the agency, experts and non-governmental organizations.
The copyright laws state duties and responsibility of the central committee, which will lay down polices, strategies and plans to facilitate the tasks related to copyright. A copyright agency will have to be formed as quickly as possible in order to issue orders, notifications and instructions necessary for implementing the tasks assigned by the central committee.
Exercising copyright laws will contribute to national economy, entrepreneurs, foreign investment, human resources, employment, advancing technological handovers and productivity.
The responsible ministry and related ministries and NGOs belonging to the central commi-ttee are urged to cooperate and play thier respective roles. The government and the people are urged to cooperate in promptly adopting a copyright system that can promote the country’s economic, social, science and cultural sectors.
Next, Vice Chairman of the central committee Union Minister for Commerce Dr Pwint Hsan explained matters related to the emergence of a copy right system.
Secretary Deputy Minister U Nyunt Aung explained the realization of the resolutions of the first central committeenmeeting and showed a video clip on the activities being carried out by the CopyRight Department.
Then, Joint Secretary Director General Dr Moe Moe Thwe read the messages presented to the meeting (1/2022). The Vice-Senior General made a further discussion.
Central committee members Deputy Ministers U Than Aung Kyaw, U Ye Tint, Dr Aung Gyi, U Yin Maung Nyunt, U Nyunt Aung, Dr Zaw Myint and officials discussed thier respective se-ctors in relation to copy right.
The Vice-Senior General coordinated matters related to the discussions and made a concluding remark.