WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  IP/N/1/BLZ/3 
21 November 2005 
 
 (05-5494) 
Council for Trade-Related Aspects of 
Intellectual Property Rights Original:   English 
 
 
 
NOTIFICATION OF LAWS AND REGULATIONS 
UNDER ARTICLE 63.2 OF THE AGREEMENT 
 
BELIZE 
 
 
 The following communication, dated 14 April 2005,  is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of Belize. 
_______________ 
 
  As required by the Decision of the TRIPS Council reflected in document IP/C/2, please find attached the text of the following recently prom ulgated main dedicated intellectual subsidiary 
legislation of Belize:  
 - Trademarks (General Procedures) Administrative Instructions, A.I. No. 1 of 2005
1 
  - Patents (General Procedures) Administrative Instructions, A.I. No. 2 of 2005
2 
  - Industrial Designs (General Procedures) Administrative Instructions, A.I. No. 3
 
of 20053 
  The above legislations were promulgated in or der to provide for recent developments in the 
Belizean intellectual property system relating to areas such as opposition, revocation and invalidation 
proceedings.  The procedures outlined in the above legislations are fair , equitable, simple, affordable, 
and entail reasonable time-limits (a s per Article 41.2 of the TRIPS Ag reement).  Parties involved in a 
proceeding are given adequate opportunities to present evidence in respect of which such parties were 
offered the opportunity to be heard (as per Articl e 41.3 of the TRIP Agreement).  Also, the final 
administrative decision of the Registrar is subject to  review by a judicial authority (see Article 62.5 of 
the TRIPS Agreement read with sections 70, 62 and 23 of the Trade Marks Act, Patents Act and 
Industrial Designs Act respectively). 
 
 We have also attached the texts and listings  (see Annex) of the following other laws and 
administrative instructions:   - Electronic Transactions Act, Chapter 290:01, Revised Edition 2003
 
 
 - Patents (Electronic Filing) Administrative Instructions, A.I. No. 4 of 2005 . 
 
                                                      
1 See document IP/N/1/BLZ/T/4. 
2 See document IP/N/1/BLZ/P/7. 
3 See document IP/N/1/BLZ/D/4 IP/N/1/BLZ/3 
Page 2  
 
  Although the above Act is not dedicated to inte llectual property rights as such, it pertains to 
the acquisition of intellectual property rights in  Belize in an expedited manner.  The above 
Administrative Instructions prescribe the text string method of electronic signature for patent applications that are filed electronically in Belize.  
 We are also submitting two CDs containing el ectronic copies of the above-mentioned laws.  
The first CD is meant for the use of the In tellectual Property Division of the World Trade 
Organization, while the second CD is sent for onward  transmission to the World Intellectual Property 
Organization for incorporation into the Collec tion of Laws for Electronic Access (CLEA), the 
monthly review "Industrial Property and Copyright", and the paper legislative collection.  The laws 
are drafted in the English language, and can al so be accessed on our website  www.belipo.bz
 (E-
Library link).  IP/N/1/BLZ/3 
 Page 3 
 
 
 ANNEX  
 
OTHER LAWS AND REGULATIONS  
 
 
 
TITLE 
DATE OF ADOPTION AND ENTRY  
INTO FORCE 
  
 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
Copyright and related rights, Trademarks, Geographical indications, Industrial designs, Patents (including plant variety protection), 
and Layout-designs (topographies) of 
integrated circuits   
The Electronic Transactions Act , Chapter 290:01 
of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2003.  Entry into force:  1 May 2004.  The main objective of the act is to eliminate legal 
barriers to the effective use of electronic communications in legal transactions.  This act is relevant to the provisions of the TRIPS Agreement because it permits the registration of 
an intellectual property right within a reasonable 
duration of time in order to avoid unwarranted curtailment of the period of protection (as per Article 62.2 of the TRIPS Agreement).  In short, it expedites the intellectual property registration 
process. 
 
Patents   
Patents (Electronic Filing) Administrative 
Instructions , A.I. No. 4 of 2005. 
 
Entry into force:  11 May 2005.  The main objective of this subsidiary legislation 
is to prescribe the text string method of electronic 
signature for Patent Co-operation Treaty (PCT) 
national phase applications filed electronically in Belize.  This form of electronic signature is simple and free, thereby facilitating the electronic filing of PCT national phase applications in 
Belize.  As was mentioned above, the electronic 
filing of applications expedites the acquisition of an intellectual property right within a reasonable period of time so as to avoid unwarranted curtailment of the term of protection (see Article 62.2 of the TRIPS Agreement). 
 
 
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