EUIPO launches project to boost IP in Southeast Asia
The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has launched a four-year project which aims to strengthen IP rights systems in Southeast Asia.
Based in Bangkok, Thailand, IP Key Southeast Asia (IP Key SEA) will focus on increasing legal transparency, predictability and certainty for IP owners in the region.
It’s one of three EU-funded projects dedicated to IP that are being implemented by the EUIPO, together with IP Key China and IP Key Latin America.
The project’s objectives are to establish common IP rights platforms, promote further convergence of the IP rights environment and “ensure a level playing field for both local enterprises and EU investors”.
In particular, the project will try to discourage protectionist trade barriers through the misuse of IP legislation, and increase public and political awareness of the importance of IP protection and enforcement.
António Campinos, executive director of the EUIPO, said: “At a time when the number of IP rights being registered all over the world is rising fast, it is in everyone’s interest to ensure that they are quality rights with the potential to be protected in the global marketplace.”
He added that fostering partnerships and helping to bring transparency and consistency is incredibly important and should be supported.
Péter Kovács, head of the IP rights unit in the directorate general for trade at the European Commission, added that the EU has concluded free trade agreements with a number of countries in the region and is also in negotiation with others.
The European Commission finalised negotiations of a bilateral free trade agreement with Singapore in October 2014 and with Vietnam in December 2015.
“All these trade agreements include meaningful chapters on IP rights. We look forward to working with our Southeast Asian partners to establish solid and strong IPR frameworks to foster our trade and investment relations.”
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