KATHMANDU: Nepal Copyright Registrar’s Office claimed that there is lack of economic analysis regarding the

contribution of Copyright Act in the national economy. According to a survey conducted by WIPO, the contribution of copyright-based industries to GDP is

11.22 per cent in the USA, 5.70 per cent in Singapore, 4.50 per cent

in Canada and 4.92 per cent in

the Philippines.

“In the context of Nepal, it is unfortunate that there is no provision of conducting such surveys as there is no strict rule regarding utility of Copyright Act,” said registrar Bir Bahadur Rai of Nepal Copyright Registrar Office. He said that till date there are about 708 companies that have registered their copyright and the highest number of registration has been in the intellectual property rights sector.

Rai stressed there was a need to form an umbrella association to preserve intellectual property rights and industrial property. “Recently, the music industry here registered the Music Royalty Collection Society in 2064 BS, and the society is working for the protection of intellectual rights of music personalities of the nation,” he said.

In this context, associate professor at TU Dr Bal Bahadur Mukhia said the whole world has now become a global village due to globalization and development of science and technology. Consequently, copyrightable subject matter is expanding by the day. On the other hand, challenges in the protection of copyright are also multiplying. Mukhia stressed on the need for developing software to collect statistical reports regarding the contribution of copyright based industries.

Nepal acceded to the Berne Convention on January 11, 2006. However, this convention does not incorporate computer programmes and multi-media productions. Mukhia said that the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and WCT gives copyright holders to enforce technological protection of their works. He added that it would be better for Nepal to adhere to the WCT. He the country has a weak legal regime regarding intellectual property rights.