Registered Designs Act 2000 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 4 · Government Use of Registered Designs
45. Government use of registered designs
Feedback & supportLast amended by an amending law of 2021. 2 amendments in all.
Despite any of the provisions of this Act, the Government and any person authorised in writing by the Government may use any registered design for the services of the Government in accordance with section 46.
The authority of the Government under subsection (1) may be —
given either before or after the registration of the design;
given either before or after the acts in respect of which the authority is given are done; and
given to any person whether or not the person is authorised, directly or indirectly, by the registered owner to use the design.
Without limiting subsection (1), any use of the design for —
design
“design” means features of shape, configuration, colours, pattern or ornament applied to any article or non‑physical product that give that article or non‑physical product its appearance, but does not include —(a)a method or principle of construction;(b)features of shape, configuration or colours of an article or a non‑physical product that —(i)are dictated solely by the function that the article or non‑physical product has to perform;(ii)are dependent upon the appearance of another article or non‑physical product of which the article or non‑physical product is intended by the designer to form an integral part; or(iii)enable the article or non‑physical product to be connected to, or placed in, around or against, another article or non‑physical product, so that either article or non‑physical product may perform its function; or(c)features consisting only of one or more colours that —(i)are not used with any feature of shape or configuration; and(ii)do not give rise to any feature of pattern or ornament;
the supply to the government of any country or territory outside Singapore, pursuant to any agreement or arrangement between the Government and the government of that country, of articles, non‑physical products, or devices for projecting non‑physical products, required —
for the defence of that country; or
for the defence of any other country whose government is party to any agreement or arrangement with the Government in respect of defence matters; or
the supply to the United Nations, or to the government of any country belonging to that organisation, of articles, non‑physical products, or devices for projecting non‑physical products, required for any armed forces operating pursuant to a resolution of that organisation or any organ of that organisation,is deemed to be a use of the design for the services of the Government; and the power of the Government or a person authorised by the Government to use the design includes power —
to sell the articles, non‑physical products, or devices for projecting non‑physical products, to the government or to that organisation pursuant to the agreement or arrangement; and
to sell to any person any articles, non‑physical products, or devices for projecting non‑physical products, originally intended for the services of the Government which are no longer required for the purpose for which they were made.
Without limiting subsection (1), any use of a design for any purpose which appears to the Government necessary or expedient —
to avoid prejudice to the security or defence of Singapore;
to assist in the exercise of powers and the implementation of civil defence measures during a state of emergency or state of civil defence emergency under the Civil Defence Act 1986; or
for public non-commercial use,is deemed to be a use of the design for the services of the Government.
The purchaser of any articles, non‑physical products, or devices for projecting non‑physical products, sold in the exercise of powers conferred by subsection (1), and any person claiming through the purchaser, has the power to deal with the articles, non‑physical products, or devices for projecting non‑physical products, as if the rights in the registered design were held on behalf of the Government.
Despite any provision in any other written law, the reproduction or publication of any model or document in connection with any use of a design made by virtue of subsection (1) is deemed not to constitute an infringement of any copyright subsisting in the document by virtue of the Copyright Act 2021 or any right subsisting in a layout-design by virtue of the Layout‑Designs of Integrated Circuits Act 1999.