Results tagged “IPR” from ITTI: The International Technology Transfer Institute at Pierce Law

With increasing focus on knowledge-based enterprises, the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) was established in 2001 to advise on and administer IP laws, promote IP awareness and provide the infrastructure to facilitate the development of IP.[1]  Since the signing of the free-trade agreement with the United States in May 2003, Singapore's protection of IP has improved significantly.  Significant changes to local IP laws, implemented in January 2005, included extension of authors' copyright protection by 20 years[2], introduction of a mechanism to trademark scents and sounds[3], and imposition of stiffer penalties for copyright infringement and piracy[4].  Currently, patents, trademarks, registered designs, copyright are IP rights protected under the current IP laws in Singapore.

 

The Patents (Amendment) Act, which came into effect in January, 2002, also aims to provide a regulatory regime for patent attorneys and agents, and improve their accessibility to patent laws and system in order to improve their service to domestic and international inventors and patent owners.   

 

The patent application system was modified in July 2004 to create a dual-track system with two deadline alternatives for applicants relating to search, examination and requests: within 42 months ("fast track"), or within 60 months ("slow track").[5]  If no preference is specified, the "fast track" is the default.  If the applicant opts for the slow track, only one fee must be paid to extend all deadlines.  Previously, applicants were given a deadline of 54 months to request a patent.

 

In 2007, new amendments were made to the Patents Act.  Since 2007, overseas patent applications automatically include patent protection in Singapore.  Other amendments extended the filing period; an applicant will be provided with two more months after the 12-month period to file a Singapore patent application and claim priority over an earlier relevant application that was filed in a Paris Convention or WTO member state, provided the applicant can show that he missed the initial 12-month period unintentionally.[6]

 

In addition to promulgating new IP laws, Singapore has also signed numerous international treaties to strengthen its IP system.  The first important international treaty came in 1995, when Singapore approved the Patent Co-operation Treaty (PCT) system under the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), which provides a convenient and useful alternative route for patent applicants filing an international application for their respective inventions.  By filing in one PCT country, applicants can simultaneously seek patent protection for their inventions in more than 130 PCT countries including Singapore.  Besides the PCT system, Singapore is also a signatory to several other important international IP treaties, including the Bern Convention, Madrid Protocol, Budapest Treaty and the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs).[7]

 

In the last several years, Singapore has also made several amendments and extensions to IP rights, which include a revised Trademark Law Treaty (TLT) in 2006, updates to the copyright law in 2007 and the recent 2008 proposal to amend the Copyright Tribunal to meet the needs of users and owners of copyright works in the digital age.

 

Although Singapore is known for its strong enforcement, protection of IP rights in Singapore does not rely solely on legal measures.  In recent years, the IPOS has also tried to educate the general public about IP rights, as well as actions that constitute infringement and consequences through the use of public talks and seminars, educational outreach advertising campaigns and IP seminars for retailers.  To enhance Singapore's IP system, IPOS regularly seek public comments and suggestions on what additional changes can be implemented to strengthen IP protection.

 

Singapore is an invaluable partner for WIPO and has an important role to play in ensuring that the IP system continues to be of relevance in the 21^st century, as a mechanism to support all countries.  The WIPO, as the UN agency empowered to administer and develop the international IP system, has a key role to play in facilitating discussions to ensure that IP fosters innovations that are socially and economically beneficial.  This commitment was reiterated when WIPO director-general Francis Gurry visited Singapore in July 2009.  During the visit, Guerry highlighted Singapore's growing recognition of knowledge as the basis for wealth creation and the role of IP in harnessing its value.[8]

 

In today's highly competitive global economic environment, a commitment to research and development, educational excellence and innovation, is essential in securing an advantage in the marketplace.  Singapore's commitment through continuous revision to its IP laws shows how the IP system can offer a means of promoting economic growth and wealth creation.

 

Singapore's continuous commitment to research and development, innovation and IP also means that it can withstand the current global economic downturn.  Armed with a robust IP system, Singapore will continue to attract high levels of foreign investment and foster the development of cutting- edge industries in fields as diverse as biomedicine, chemicals, electronics and green technology.

 

In an effort to provide a more robust system for the provision of IP-related technical assistance to developing and least-developed countries, the USPTO has established the Global Intellectual Property Academy (GIPA) that functions to provide IPR training, capacity building, technical assistance as well as to create multilateral programs and country specific programs in U.S. and abroad.  In 2007, the USPTO completed construction of GIPA that includes a 20,000 square-foot training facility at its headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia.  Since then, the USPTO has held many global IP training seminars and sessions.  Through this dedicated space, the USPTO delivers targeted training to foreign IP officials that include foreign IP office administrators, examiners, judges, prosecutors, customs officers, and other government officials. 

One primary focus of GIPA is to offer capacity building and IP training programs in the U.S. and around the world on IP protection, enforcement, and capitalization.   In delivering capacity building programs, GIPA works closely with other U.S. government agencies, trading partners and international organizations.  For example, GIPA works with several other U.S. government agencies to provide adequate technical cooperation and assistance to developing countries.   Such agencies include, for example, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), which focuses technical cooperation activities on providing strong IP enforcement; the U.S. Library of Congress Copyright Office, which provides technical assistance to help developing countries to developing and improve their copyright laws and enforcement mechanisms to address copyright infringements; the Department of Homeland Security Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which provides assistance on custom law and border enforcement; the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which funds and implements IP technical assistance generally as part of broader trade capacity-building programs at country level; and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), which enables developing countries to negotiate and implement market-opening and reform-oriented trade agreements as a critical part of trade capacity building.