WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DU COMMERCE
ORGANIZACIÓN MUNDIAL DEL COMERCIOIP/N/1/BLZ/L/3
6 November 2003
(03-5932)
Council for Trade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property RightsOriginal:  English/
anglais/
inglés
MAIN DEDICATED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
LAWS AND REGULATIONS NOTIFIED UNDER
ARTICLE 63.2 OF THE AGREEMENT
BELIZE
The present document reproduces the text1 of the Protection of Layout-Designs
(Topographies) of Integrated Circuits Regulations, No. 115 of 2001, as notified by Belize under
Article 63.2 of the Agreement (see document IP/N/1/BLZ/2).
Conseil des aspects des droits de propriétéintellectuelle qui touchent au commerce
PRINCIPALES LOIS ET RÉGLEMENTATIONS CONSACRÉES À LA
PROPRIÉTÉ INTELLECTUELLE NOTIFIÉES AU TITRE
DE L'ARTICLE 63:2 DE L'ACCORD
BELIZE
Le présent document contient le texte
1 du Règlement sur la protection des schémas de
configuration (topographies) de circuits intégrés, n° 115 de 2001, notifié par le Belize au titre de
l'article 63:2 de l'Accord (voir le document IP/N/1/BLZ/2).
Consejo de los Aspectos de los Derechos de PropiedadIntelectual relacionados con el Comercio
PRINCIPALES LEYES Y REGLAMENTOS DEDICADOS A LA
PROPIEDAD INTELECTUAL NOTIFICADOS EN VIRTUD
DEL PÁRRAFO 2 DEL ARTÍCULO 63 DEL ACUERDO
BELICE
En el presente documento se reproduce el texto
1 del Reglamento de Protección de los
Esquemas de Trazado (Topografías) de Circuitos Integrados Nº 115 de 2001, que Belice ha notificado
en virtud del párrafo 2 del artículo 63 de l Acuerdo (véase el documento IP/N/1/BLZ/2).
                                                     
1 In English only./En anglais seulement./En inglés solamente.IP/N/1/BLZ/L/3
Page 2
BELIZE:
STATUTORY INSTRUMENT
No. 115 of 2001
_____________
REGULATIONS  made by the Attorney General in exercise of the powers conferred
upon him by section 28 of the Protection of Layout-Designs (Topographies) of
Integrated Circuits Act, Chapter 256 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised
Edition 2000, and all other powers thereunto him enabling.
(Gazetted 25th August, 2001. )
PRELIMINARY
1. These Regulations may be cited as the
PROTECTION OF LAYOUT DESIGNS (TOPOGRAPHIES) OF
INTEGRATED CIRCUITS REGULATIONS, 2001.
2. In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires-
“agent” means an attorney-at-law resident and practicing in Belize in accordance with
the relevant law;
“applicant” means the creator of a layout-design who applies for registration of a
layout-design pursuant to section 8 of the Act;
“application” means an application for registration of a layout-design made pursuant
to section 8 of the Act;
“Court” means the Supreme Court of Judicat ure established under the Supreme Court
of Judicature Act;
“drawing” includes a plot;“Office” means the Intellectual Property Office;“Register” means the Register of Layout-Designs referred to in section 12(1) of the
Act;
“Registrar” means the Registrar of Intellectual Property.Short title.
Interpretation.
CAP. 91.IP/N/1/BLZ/L/3
Page 3
COMMUNICATIONS
3.-(1) All communications intended for the Office shall be addressed to the
Registrar.
(2) Correspondence addressed to the Registrar is deemed to be delivered to the
Office on the day that it is delivered to the Office, where the delivery is made during
the ordinary business hours of the Office.
4.-(1) Subject to sub-regulation (2), all communications relating to an application
or a registered layout-design shall be made  in writing or by electronic transmission.
(2) The Registrar may, where the circumstances require, have regard to an oral
communication made in relation to an application or a registered layout-design.
5.-(1) Subject to sub-regulation (2), all correspondence addressed to the Registrar
shall deal with only one application or registered layout-design.
(2) Sub-regulation (1) does not apply in respect of correspondence relating to-
(a) a transfer of an interest or grant of a licence affecting a registered
layout-design;
(b) a change in the name or address of an owner of more than one
registered layout-design;
(c)  a change in the name or address of an applicant for the registration of
more than one layout-design;
(d) a change in the name or address of the agent of an owner of more
than one registered layout-design; or
(e) a change in the name or address of the agent of an applicant for the
registration of more than one layout-design.
6.-(1) Subject to sub-regulation (2), every person who is required by the Act or
these Regulations to furnish an address shall furnish a complete postal address,
including a street name and number where applicable.
(2) A person referred to in sub-regula tion (1) may furnish, in addition to the
required postal address, another address to which correspondence may be mailed.
7.-(1) Correspondence relating to an application shall include-
(a) the application number if one has been assigned;
(b) the name of the applicant; and(c)  the title or titles of the layout-design.
(2) Correspondence relating to a registered layout-design shall include-
(a) the registration number of the layout-design;Communica-
tions.
Communicationsto be in writing.
One application,etc.
Complete postal
address.
Correspondencerelating to
application.IP/N/1/BLZ/L/3
Page 4
(b) the name of the owner of the layout-design; and
(c)  the title or titles of the layout-design.
8.-(1) Subject to sub-regulation (2), correspondence relating to an application
shall be conducted with-
(a) the applicant, where there is only one applicant; or(b) where there is more than one applicant-
(i) the applicant authorized by the other applicant or applicants
to act on their behalf; or
(ii) the first applicant named in the application, where no
applicant has been authorized in accordance with sub-
paragraph (i).
(2) Correspondence relating to an application shall be conducted with an agent
where the agent has-
(a) signed the application;(b) transmitted the application to the Office; or(c)  notified the Office of the agent’s appointment.
9. No regard shall be had to any correspondence relating to an application that is
received from any person or firm other than the person or firm with whom
correspondence on the subject of the application is being conducted.
APPOINTMENT OF AGENT
1 10.-(1) An applicant may appoint a person or firm as an agent to act on behalf of
the applicant.
(2) Subject to sub-regulation (3), the appointment of an agent need not be
made in writing.
(3) The Registrar may, where the circumstances require, request that an
agent file a written appointment within a period that the Registrar deems appropriate
in the circumstances.
(4) Where an agent fails to file a written appointment as requested pursuant
to sub-regulation (3), the Registrar shall give notice to the agent that any further
correspondence will be conducted with the applicant until a written appointment is
filed.
APPLICATION
11.-(1) An application and any amendment to the application shall be in the
English language and shall bear the signature of the applicant or the applicant’s agent.Subject of
correspondence.
Othercorrespondence.
Appointmentof agent.
Language, etc.IP/N/1/BLZ/L/3
Page 5
(2) A separate application shall be made for each layout-design.
12. An application shall contain, in addition to the information and material
required by section 8 (4) (a) to (e) of the Act, the following information -
(a) where an agent has been appointed, the name and address of the
agent;
                                   (b) a description of the material filed, including, where the layout-design
consists of layers and contains confidential information, the number
of layers and the number of layers in relation to which regulation 14
or 15 has been relied on; and
(c)  a description of the nature or function of the layout-design.
13.-(1) Subject to these Regulations, an application shall contain, in addition to
the information and material required by section 8 (4) (a) to (e) of the Act, a completeset of overlay sheets, drawings or photographs of the layout-design.
(2) The material referred to in sub-regulation (1) shall be sufficiently
magnified so that the layout-design is clearly visible to the naked eye.
(3) Where the material referred to in sub-regulation (1) consists of more than
one sheet, drawing or photograph, the sheets, drawings or photographs shall be
numbered consecutively.
14. Where a layout-design that consists of more than two layers contains
confidential information, an application may contain, instead of a complete set of
overlay sheets, drawings or photographs as required by regulation 13, a set that
contains the same total number of sheets, drawings or photographs, but that includes a
selected number of sheets, drawings or photographs on which is blocked out up to 50
per cent of the total area covered by those sheets, drawings or photographs, if-
(a) the selected sheets, drawings or photographs are clearly indicated
in the application;
(b) the number of sheets, drawings or photographs selected does not
exceed 50 per cent of the total number of sheets, drawings or
photographs, the total number having been reduced by one where itis an odd number; and
(c)  the application contains layout-design data in printed form for the
areas that are blocked out; however, up to 50 per cent of these data
may be blocked out, if the application contains four or moreintegrated circuit products incorporating the layout-design.
15. Where a layout-design contains confidential information and has not been
commercially exploited at the filing date of an application, the application may
contain, instead of the material referred to in regulation 13-
(a) the layout-design data in printed form, of which up to 50 per cent
may be blocked out; andContents of
application.
Overlaysheets, etc.
Blocked outsheets, etc.
Confidential
information,etc.IP/N/1/BLZ/L/3
Page 6
(b) a composite drawing or photograph of the layout-design, on which
up to 50 per cent of each layer of the layout-design is blocked out.
16. Any layout-design data in printed form or integrated circuit products shall be
filed at the time of or subsequent to the filing of the other material referred to in
regulation 13, 14 or 15 and on or before the date of registration of the layout-design.
17. All material filed pursuant to regulation 13, 14, 15 or 16 shall be identified by a
title consisting of letters of the Roman alphabet, Arabic numerals or a combination of
the Roman alphabet or Arabic numerals.
18. All material filed pursuant to regulation 13, 14, or 15 and all layout-design data
in printed form referred to in regulation 16 shall be in a storable size, either folded or
otherwise, and shall be in A4 format.
19.-(1) Subject to sub-regulation (2), an applicant may, at any time prior to the
registration of a layout-design, on submitting any necessary information and material
and on payment of the applicable fee set out in Schedule I, request that the Registrar
amend the applicant’s application.
(2) The Registrar shall not make any amendment to an application that
would substantially alter the layout-design to which the application relates.
REGISTER
20. In addition to the information required by the Act to be entered in the Register,
the Registrar shall enter in the Register-
(a) all information filed pursuant to regulation 12; and(b) all material filed pursuant to regulation 13, 14,15 or 16.
21.-(1) The Registrar may amend any entry in the Register, or make new entries,
for any of the following purposes-
                      (a)    to reflect any change in the name or address of an owner of a
                                             registered layout-design;
(b) to reflect any change in a registered title of a layout-design or the use of a
          new title;
(c)  to reflect any other change of information; and
(d) to correct any typographical or clerical error.(2) For the purposes of sub-regulation (1), the Registrar may amend the
Register to reflect any change in the name or address of an agent.Printed data, etc.
Title.
Size and format.
Amendment of
application.
Register.
Changes ininformation.IP/N/1/BLZ/L/3
Page 7
CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION
22.-(1) The Registrar shall issue a certificate of registration in respect of each
layout-design registered under this Act.
(2) A certificate of registration issued in respect of a layout-design shall
include the following particulars-
(a) the name and address of the registered owner of the layout-design;(b) the title of the layout-design;
(c)  a description of the nature or function of the layout-design;
                  (d)      where the layout-design has been commercially exploited, the date on
      which and place at which the layout-design was first commercially
      exploited;
(e) the filing date of the application for registration of the layout-design;(f) the date of registration of the layout-design;
(g) the date of expiration of the exclusive right to the layout-design; and
(h) the registration number of the layout-design.(3) A certificate of registration issued in respect of a layout-design that
purports to be signed by the Registrar is, without proof of the signature, admissible in
any court as evidence of the facts alleged in the certificate and is, in the absence of
evidence to the contrary, proof that –
(a) the layout-design was registrable under this Act at the time of the
registration; and
(b) that the application for registration of the layout-design was correct
in all material particulars and did not omit any material
information.
(4) The Registrar may, for the purposes of correcting any typographical or
clerical error in a certificate of registration, amend the certificate or issue a new
certificate in substitution for the certificate.
MISCELLANEOUS
23. An application shall not be available for public inspection until it has been
assigned an application number.
24. Except with the written consent of the applicant or the owner of a registered
layout-design, as the case may be, no person shall, by any means, make or provide a
copy of any material filed pursuant to regulation 13, 14, 15 or 16.Certificate of
registration.
Publicinspection.
Written consent.IP/N/1/BLZ/L/3
Page 8
25. Where an application has been made to the Court under section 18 (1) of the
Act, the Registrar shall, at the request of any of the parties and on payment of the
applicable fee set out in Schedule I, transmit to that Court all material on file in the
Office relating to the application.
26. The 26. The fees to be paid for acts or services rendered by  the Registrar are as set out
in Schedule I.
 27.  These Regulations shall come into force on the 17th day of August, 2001.
   MADE  by the Attorney General this 17th day of August, 2001.
_______________
          (GODFREY SMITH)
  ATTORNEY GENERAL AND
MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR LAYOUT DESIGNS
_______________Transmission
to Court.
Fees.
Commencement.IP/N/1/BLZ/L/3
Page 9
SCHEDULE I
(Regulation 26)
TARIFF OF FEES $
1. Filing an application ……………………..   200.00
2. Amending an application in accordance
with a request made pursuant to
regulation 19 (1)  …………………………     75.00
3. Entering in the Register particulars of
a transfer of an interest or grant of a
licence affecting a registered layout-design
pursuant to sections 15 (1) (b) and 16 (2)
of the Act …………………………………    75.00
4. Amending an entry in the Register or
making a new entry in the Register
pursuant to regulation 21  ………………     75.00
5. Amending a certificate of registration
or issuing a new certificate, pursuant
to sub-regulation 22 (4), for the purpose
of  correcting a typographical or clerical
error made as a result of incorrect
information provided by the applicant  …     75.00
6. Transmitting material on file to the Court
pursuant to regulation 25                          ……………….      100.00
7. Providing a copy of a document, of entries
in or extracts from the Register under
section 12 (3) of the Act or of anymaterial referred to in regulation 24, for
each A4 page …………………………….       5.00
8. Providing a certified copy of an entry
or a document referred to in section12 (6) of the Act                       ………………………..           50.00
_______________IP/N/1/BLZ/L/3
Page 10
SCHEDULE II
PROTECTION OF LAYOUT-DESIGNS (TOPOGRAPHIES) OF INTEGRATED CIRCUITS
ACT (CHAPTER 256 OF THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE, REVISED EDITION
2000)
(Section 8 of the Act)
FORM NO. 1
APPLICATION FOR REGISTRATION OF A LAYOUT-DESIGN
1_________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________Application is hereby made for the registration of the above layout-design in the name of 
2
______________________________________________
whose trade or business address is 3 _____________________________
________________ trading as 4 _________________________________
who claim(s) to be the proprietor(s) thereof.
5_________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________
6_________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________
To the Registrar
Intellectual Property Office
BELIZE.
______________________________________________________________________
1. Brief and precise designation of the layout-design.2. Here insert legibly the full name, description, nationality and residence of whose trade or
business address the individual, firm or body corporate is making the application.  The names
of all the partners in a firm must be given in full.  If the applicant is a body corporate, the kind
and country of incorporation should be stated.
3. Here insert the full trade or business address of the applicant.4. Here insert the trading style (if any).IP/N/1/BLZ/L/3
Page 11
5. Specify the date of first commercial exploitation of the layout-design anywhere in the world,
or indicate that such exploitation has not commenced.
6. Where an agent has been appointed, the name and address of the agent.
* Attach power of attorney appointing the representative of the applicant, if any.
* Attach particulars establishing the right to protection under section 5 of the Act.* Attach a copy or drawing of the layout-design.* Attach information defining the electronic function which the integrated circuit is intended to
perform.
* Attach description of the material filed, including, where the layout-design consists of layers
and contains confidential information, the number of layers and the number of layers in
relation to which regulation 14 or 15 has been relied on.
_______________IP/N/1/BLZ/L/3
Page 12
PROTECTION OF LAYOUT-DESIGNS ACT  (CHAPTER 256 OF THE SUBSTANTIVE
LAWS OF BELIZE, REVISED EDITION 2000)
(Regulation 22)
FORM NO. 2
CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION
The layout-design entitled ________________________________
_________________________________ has been registered in the name of
________________________________________ under  No. ________ as of the date____________________________ of 20 ______.The filing date of the application for registration of the layout-design is______________________________________________ of 20 ________.
1_________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________
2_________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________Sealed at my direction, this  ___________ day of ___________________ 20 ____ .
The Registrar
Intellectual Property OfficeBELIZE.
Registration is for ten calendar years after the date of commencement of protection of the
layout-design.
1. Description of the nature or function of the layout-design.
2. Where the layout-design has been commercially exploited, the date on which and place at
which the layout-design was first commercially exploited.
__________