On 1 April 2025, the Malawi Parliament passed the following Bills:
- Bill No. 1 of 2025: Companies, Registrations, and Intellectual Properties Centre; and
- Bill No. 2 of 2025: Copyright (Amendment).
The introduction of the above Bills reflects Malawi's efforts to bring its IP legislation in line with international standards underpinned by the Malawi Intellectual Property Policy.
Importantly, the Companies, Registrations, and Intellectual Properties Centre will take over the functions of the Department of the Registrar General which relates to the registration and administration of business entities, as well as intellectual property rights.
In terms of the Copyright Amendment Bill, the Registrar of Copyright will now be the Department of the Registrar General who will be responsible for the administration (and enforcement) of copyright, whereas the collective management functions of the Copyright Society of Malawi (COSOMA) will remain the same. The work of COSOMA will now be limited to a collective management organisation.
We are keeping a close eye on how these changes will be implemented once the Bills have been assented to.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
