MANILA-- Key members of the judiciary from Southeast Asia, including Filipino judge Romeo Tagra, met Wednesday at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to share their respective state's intellectual property (IP) enforcement measures.
EU pointed out that implementation of international IP standards tends to vary across Southeast Asia, leading to uncertainties for many local and foreign businesses operating in the region.
Criminal prosecutions and civil actions can also be long and costly. EU underscored that regulatory certainty over the protection of IP assets is an important consideration for businesses wishing to invest in a country.
Through the three-day roundtable, the bloc expects to instill business confidence in judicial processes related to IP cases in the region, largely through greater understanding and adoption of international best practices.
The topics and practices to be discussed include the international IP framework, special rules of procedure for IP cases, legal remedies, provisional and precautionary measures, and jurisdictional issues.
Current challenges such as online trademark and copyright infringement, e-commerce, domain names, and IP adjudication in the digital environment will also be tackled, among others.
A visit to the European Union Trademark Court in Alicante will conclude the forum.
Andrea Di Carlo, Deputy Director of the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights, opened the proceedings, noting that discussions on the issue present a "unique opportunity for the EU to support its partners in Southeast Asia in building a stronger IP judicial enforcement knowledge community in the region."
"A strong and effective judicial enforcement system is a critical component to attract the substantial foreign investment required for national economic development," he added.
Alexander von Mühlendahl and European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights Expert Erling Vestergaard will also share their expertise over the duration of the roundtable.
The roundtable is one of the range of activities being delivered by IP Key Southeast Asia (IP Key SEA), a four-year EUR7 million program funded by the EU and implemented by the EUIPO.
The EU has been actively engaging with Southeast Asian countries, including through bilateral trade agreements, with comprehensive chapters on intellectual property, already concluded or under negotiation, as well as IP dialogues.
The main objective of IP Key is to support Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection and enforcement across Southeast Asia with a view to creating the appropriate legal and economic environment conducive to trade and investment in the region. (PR)
