Senior officials from several Southeast Asian IP offices visited producers of products protected as geographical indications (GIs) in northern Italy on 28 September - 1 October to better understand what GI protection does for sustainable development and economic prosperity. The activity focused on how the producers promote their GIs and the EU practices on the enforcement and control of GIs.

The directors-general and other senior officials from the Southeast Asian IP offices attended a forum in Geneva on 26 September with EUIPO and IP Key SEA representatives to discuss the upgrading of services offered to clients operating in Southeast Asia. The activity aimed to improve the IP environment for businesses operating in the region through quality standards and new technologies in the national IP offices. 

To deepen the operational aspects, as well as the benefits and specificities of the Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks, WIPO and the General Directorate of the Registry of Industrial Property (DIGERPI) of Panama, organized a seminar in Panama, together with IP Key Latin America - as proof of its interest in promoting regional cooperation and greater integration in the processing of IPRs.

Due to the recent reform of the Industrial Property Law in Mexico, that includes the possibility of registration of non-traditional trademarks, the Mexican Institute of Intellectual property (IMPI in Spanish) and the Mexican Confederation of Industrial Chambers (CONCAMIN) held a seminar on the Recent Amendments to the Industrial Property Law on trade mark matters on September 5 in Mexico City. The event covered in-depth the reform elements, their relevance and impact, with the support of national and international stakeholders.

European stakeholders can benefit from improved awareness on how to use the patent system in China (comprising invention patents, utility models, and registered designs). IP Key China, in partnership with China’s National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA, formerly SIPO) and European Stakeholders, will continue hosting a range of roving seminars which have taken place in the EU since 2015. These are specifically meant for right holder and right holder associations, IP professionals and other interested parties.

ARISE + IPR hosted a seminar on IP commercialisation on 5 September at the IP Week @ SG 2018 conference in Singapore. The seminar entitled ‘Generating Value From Ideas: IP in the Innovation Ecosystem, Key Players and Success Factors’ focused on IP policies and best practices that foster innovation and creativity, for the benefit of the business representatives, rights holders, investors, legal practitioners, officials and academics participating with the final aim to foster regional and economic integration in the ASEAN region.

Intellectual property is a powerful tool for investment, growth and job creation. Furthermore, knowing how to manage and exploit IP opens the door to innovation and competitiveness, both in Europe and in Latin America.

For this reason, IP Key Latin America has launched a series of initiatives to support companies, SMEs, universities and other economic actors, focused on the use of IPR in the different stages of the innovation process in a global context or within the framework of transnational association agreements.

The IP Key SEA team collaborated with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC) in conducting the ‘Workshop on Criminal Enforcement Against Online Trade in Pirated Content and Counterfeit Goods’ in Bangkok starting on 21 August. The three-day workshop focuses on practical implementation of national policies in the area of IP enforcement in the online environment. 

The IP Key SEA team collaborated with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC) in conducting the ‘Workshop on Criminal Enforcement Against Online Trade in Pirated Content and Counterfeit Goods’ in Bangkok starting on 21 August. The three-day workshop focused on practical implementation of national policies in the area of IP enforcement in the online environment. 

The ARISE + IPR and IP Key SEA programmes were pleased to support the Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) ‘Stop Piracy’ Mini Marathon held in Bangkok on 19 August. The ARISE + IPR and IP Key SEA teams joined colleagues from the DIP and over 2,500 participants for a 5am start to the event. The marathon consisted of both 3km and 10km circuits.