The EUIPO concludes another important chapter in IP cooperation with Southeast Asia through IP Key SEA II

Since its inception in 2017, IP Key South-East Asia (IP Key SEA)–an EU Funded project implemented and co-funded by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO)–has played a pivotal role in transforming the intellectual property (IP) landscape of Southeast Asia. The project has enabled meaningful dialogue and cooperation between the EU and countries in the region concerning IP protection and enforcement, ultimately benefiting creators and innovators while strengthening economies and social safeguards.

Phase II of IP Key SEA began in April 2022, building on the achievements and lessons learned from the first phase. Initially planned for three years, it was later extended by nine months to conclude at the end of 2025. In total, IP Key SEA Phase II has organised and supported 76 events across Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam, engaging more than 6 000 participants both on site and online. Among them were representatives from over 200 EU businesses, who shared their expertise and challenges in IP protection and enforcement, thereby reinforcing multi-stakeholder collaboration across the region.

The contributions of IP Key SEA in its second phase have been substantial. Notably, the project has directly supported bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between the EU and several Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand, as well as technical support on the implementation of existing FTAs with Singapore and Viet Nam. The project’s policy advice and technical studies have play a crucial role in these efforts.

The exchange of best practices on trade mark and industrial design examination has been another cornerstone initiative, underscoring the EUIPO’s leadership in these IP domains. Outcomes include enhanced capacity among Southeast Asian examiners and the integration of national industrial design databases into DesignView. Thailand joined EU Intellectual Property Network (EUIPN)´s Designview in December 2023, followed by Viet Nam in February 2024.

Another significant achievement has been the strengthening of geographical indication (GI) protection across Southeast Asia. This has been advanced through both policy collaboration with government agencies and broad public awareness campaigns. A series of seminars, exhibitions and communication initiatives have yielded remarkable progress. To date, most Southeast Asian countries have established sui generis systems for GI protection. This development removes a major obstacle to the EU’s trade negotiations with Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and is expected to further stimulate trade in GI products between the EU and Southeast Asia.

The fight against counterfeiting has also remained a strong focus of IP Key SEA activities. In alignment with the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT), the project has provided customs and enforcement officials with up-to-date knowledge on counterfeit trends and detection techniques. It has also strengthened regional collaboration through active promotion of voluntary industry cooperation mechanisms, such as Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs)–inspired by the EU model–between e-commerce platforms, intermediary service providers and IP rights holders. As a result, actions against counterfeiting and online piracy have become swifter and more effective. At present, the Philippines and Thailand have adopted such MoUs while Indonesia is in the process of adopting its own version. Complementary public awareness campaigns, launched during peak consumption periods, have warned consumers about the dangers of counterfeit and fake products.

Equally noteworthy is IP Key SEA’s role in helping to establish a network of IP enforcement focal points–comprising representatives of EU brands – who can be directly contacted by law enforcement officials in Southeast Asia. This initiative has fostered closer coordination during potential enforcement actions involving EU brands.

The completion of IP Key SEA Phase II was marked by a conference on the future of IP rights organised in Bangkok in early December 2025. The event brought together officials from the EUIPO, the Directorate-General for Trade (DG TRADE) of the European Commission and the IP offices of Southeast Asian nations beyond the project’s priority countries to discuss how to build a more resilient and innovative future for IP protection and enforcement in Southeast Asia. The conference was followed by a series of bilateral meetings between the EUIPO and these IP offices.

While IP Key SEA has concluded, the EUIPO’s engagement with the region will continue. The project’s completion has marked the beginning of a new era of EU-ASEAN IP cooperation under the EU-ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package – Intellectual Property Rights (SCOPE IPR), another EU Funded project, implemented and co-funded by EUIPO. With the ASEAN family now expanded, even greater opportunities for collaboration lie ahead.