Zimbabwe's Cabinet ministers have considered and approved the establishment of the Bureau of Deeds, Companies and Intellectual Property, which will operate as a semi-autonomous entity.

The authority will be responsible for the registration and management of titles related to companies, other business entities and intellectual property in Zimbabwe.

The enactment of the Act will amend a number of acts establishing the Zimbabwe Companies and Intellectual Property Office.

Some laws that need to be amended include the Copyright and Adjacent Rights Law, the Patent Law, the Industrial Design Law, the Integrated Circuit Layout Design Law, and the Trademark Law, among others.

Among other functions, the Bureau will promote and support creativity and innovation in Zimbabwe, as well as facilitate business and service delivery, in line with National Development Strategy I.

Acting Information Minister Zhan Fan. Introducing the minutes of the Cabinet meeting, Jenfan Muswere said that progress had been made in finalizing the compact, the establishment of the Company and the intellectual Property Authority.

Mr Muswaray said the change was intended to combine the three departments, with one chief registrar for each of the Deeds, corporate and intellectual property departments.

He added: "It is cost-effective for the Treasury and strategically it is more efficient to put the offices together and reorganise the whole department into a single authority."

(Compiled from www.newzimbabwe.com)