Companies and Intellectual Property Commission

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) is an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry in South Africa.[1] The CIPC was established by the Companies Act, 2008 (Act No. 71 of 2008)[2] as a juristic person to function as an organ of state within the public administration, but as an institution outside the public service.

History[]

When the 2008 Companies Act came into effect on 1 May 2011, the CIPC was created from the merger of Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office (CIPRO) and the Office of Company and Intellectual Property Enforcement (OCIPE).[3]

The first months of operation were marked by inefficiency, poor service and large backlogs as the organisation struggled to overcome the legacy of its dysfunctional predecessor, CIPRO.[4]

In April 2013 it was described as "groaning under its own burden of registration under the Companies Act"[5] and suffering from "administrative failures".[6]

In September 2014 the CIPC's new website, intended to automate several routine administrative processes, was criticised as dysfunctional,[7] followed by revelations that the site had no security measures to protect confidential client information.[8]

Functions[]

The CIPC is responsible for the following functions:[9]

  • Registration of Companies, Co-operatives and Intellectual Property Rights (trademarks, patents, designs and copyright) and maintenance thereof
  • To disclose Information on its business registers
  • To promote education and awareness of Company and Intellectual Property Law
  • To promote compliance with relevant legislation
  • Efficiently and effectively enforce relevant legislation
  • Monitor compliance with, and contraventions of financial reporting standards, and make recommendations thereto to Financial Reporting Standards Council (FRSC)
  • Licensing of Business rescue practitioners
  • Report, research and advise the Minister on matters of national policy relating to company and intellectual property law.

References[]

  1. ^ "Companies and Intellectual Property Commission". Thedti.gov.za. Retrieved 2017-08-23.
  2. ^ "COMPANIES ACT 71 OF 2008" (PDF). justice.gov.za.
  3. ^ "Services - Company Secretarial". SumTotal.co.za. Retrieved 2017-08-23.
  4. ^ Terblanche, Barrie (2011-09-02). "Haunted by Cipro's ghost". The M&G Online. Retrieved 2017-08-24.
  5. ^ Vegter, Ivo (2013-04-30). "Business Licensing Bill: An indefensible defence | Daily Maverick". www.dailymaverick.co.za. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  6. ^ Vegter, Ivo (2013-04-16). "The Big Business Bribery Bill | Daily Maverick". www.dailymaverick.co.za. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  7. ^ Pikoli, Phumlani (2014-09-30). "New CIPC website under fire". Eywitness News. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  8. ^ "New CIPC website exposes private information: complaint". Mybroadband.co.za. 2014-10-08. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  9. ^ "Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC): eServices". Eservices.cipc.co.za. Retrieved 2017-08-23.

External links[]

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