María E. Acosta De Valencia of Parra, Rodríguez & Cavelier discusses Decree 1184 dated June 29, 1999 that suppressed the National Direction of Copyrights.
Before Decree 1184 was enacted, Copyrights matters were entrusted to the National Direction of Copyrights, a Special Administrative Unit subordinated to the Ministry of the Interior. The duties of this entity will now be performed by the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce, specifically by the Head of the Trademark Office (Delegado para la Propiedad Industrial), which is an entity subordinated to the Ministry of Development.
Pursuant to Article 1 of Decree 1184, 1999 the liquidation process of the National Direction of Copyrights must be finalised by December 31, 1999. Article 2 of the Decree establishes that the National Direction of Copyrights cannot initiate new activities. Therefore starting from June 29, 1999 this entity will cease registration of Copyrights and the registrations that were in process must be suspended, until the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce assumes its new duties.
Under Article 5, within the following four months after the enactment (June 29, 1999) of the Decree, the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce will assume activities related to Copyrights. This means that starting from October 1999, the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce will be in charge of Copyrights registration and all related matters.
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