The roots of Intellectual Property legislation in the British
Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands stem from the United
Kingdom.
Although both islands are British Overseas Territories,
different routes to protection may apply depending on the type of
IP right (trade marks, patents and designs, for example), including
direct registration, indirect registration (re-registration /
extension of an earlier UK registration on application in the
islands) or automatic protection upon successful registration in
the UK.
All laws relating to intellectual property are administered by
the Office of the Registrar of Trade Marks, Patents & Copyright
within the Registry of Corporate Affairs, being a division of the
Financial Services Commission in the British Virgin Islands, and by
the Cayman Islands Intellectual Property Office
(CIIPO), being a division of the Ministry of
Financial Services and Commerce (MFSC), in the
Cayman Islands.
