Monthly Archives: May 2018

IP Protection in the Philippines for the Environmental Technologies Industry

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MC900437625In today’s blog post we take a closer look at how European SMEs can protect the IP rights of their environmental technologies in the Philippines. This sector has recently started to boom and offers many promising business opportunities to European SMEs. You will hear more about patent protection and trade mark protection. We will also offer some tips on how to enforce your rights. 

European SMEs that are working on high-tech sustainable solutions for environmental problems find the Philippines quite a promising market. The country that is highly vulnerable to climate change faces many environmental challenges including deforestation, costal degradation, air and water pollution as well as issues arising from waste disposal, just to mention the few most pressing issues. At the same time, the government of the Philippines is committed to looking for solutions, including sustainable high-tech solutions to the most pressing environmental issues, as it is annually allocating over 16 million EUR for climate change adaptation and mitigation funding[1].

European SMEs offering technological solutions to energy efficiency issues, environmentally sustainable transportation, sustainable infrastructure or waste management sectors, are expected to find many promising business opportunities in the Philippines, as these are the sectors that the government of the Philippines is highlighting as the priority sectors in its National Framework Strategy on Climate Change 2010-2022.[2]

European environmental technology providers wishing to enter the Philippines’ market need to keep in mind that despite the recent improvements in the Philippines’ IP laws and regulations, counterfeiting and other IP infringements are still commonplace in the country and thus a robust IP strategy is needed to grow their business in the Philippines. Continue reading “IP Protection in the Philippines for the Environmental Technologies Industry” »

IP Protection in Malaysia for the Medical Device and Healthcare Industries

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insurance-1991276_1920In today’s blog post we are taking a closer look at IP protection in the medical device and healthcare industries in Malaysia. You will learn more about the importance of patents in medical device industry and the various patents that can be applied in Malaysia as well as about the importance of brand protection. 

As one of the main pillars of Malaysia’s economy, supported by numerous governmental initiatives, medical device and healthcare industry is growing fast in Malaysia, making the country one of the top destinations for medical tourism. Healthcare industry in Malaysia is expected to grow close to 30% per year up to 2020[1] and as Malaysian government is creating various incentives for foreign investments, this sector is expected to offer many promising business opportunities for European SMEs.

Malaysia has a large ageing population with rising disposable income and European SMEs can find business opportunities in many sectors including elderly care. As digitalization is still one of the challenges in Malaysia’s medical device and healthcare sector and since the government is encouraging the implementation of the E-Health Strategy, European high-tech solutions are much welcome in Malaysia. Furthermore, as Malaysia’s population is becoming increasingly affluent, consumers pay a lot of attention to wellness and disease preventions, meaning that there is growing market for medical devices that are used to self-monitor one’s health condition like blood glucose and pressure monitors[2].

European SMEs wishing to do business in Malaysia’s healthcare and medical device sector should pay attention to protecting their intellectual property rights, because even though Malaysia’s IP regulations have improved over the past years, counterfeiting and other IP violations are still commonplace in the country. At the same time, neglecting to protect IP rights can often quickly end European SMEs’ business endeavors in South-East Asia. Continue reading “IP Protection in Malaysia for the Medical Device and Healthcare Industries” »

IP Considerations for the Manufacturing Industry in South-East Asia

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cool20080814_015In today’s blog post we are looking into how to protect IP in the manufacturing industry in South-East Asia, which is currently offering many opportunities for the European SMEs. You’ll learn more about patent protection and industrial design protection, but also about brand protection, as your brand is equally important to your patent. 

Manufacturing is one of the key drivers of growth in South-East Asia, with more and more South-East Asian countries winning manufacturers over from China due to lower labour costs, rising domestic consumption and improving infrastructure. Well-known brands such as Coca-Cola and Coach have so far established plants in Myanmar and Vietnam, leveraging on the cheap labour market and growing domestic demand in these countries. In Cambodia, the textiles and footwear manufacturing industry alone generates approximately EUR 5 billion annually for the economy.

In the coming years, it is expected that the manufacturing industry in South-East Asia will continue to stay strong and even expand further. The expansion of the working-age population in South-East Asia will help to boost the manufacturing sector of these countries and keep the labour costs low. The transfer of technology into South-East Asia over time will also serve to increase the efficiency of countries in this region. As such, South-East Asia offers vast opportunities for EU SMEs that are looking to expand their presence in the region. In so doing, however, EU SMEs should be aware of the intellectual property risks that they will face when operating in this region, with respect to the advanced technology that may be transferred to this region as part of the collaboration and joint venture with SME’s local partners.
Continue reading “IP Considerations for the Manufacturing Industry in South-East Asia” »

Writing a Good Manufacturing Non-disclosure Agreement in China

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MP900438585In today’s blog post we are discussing how to protect IP when seeking Chinese manufacturers and will address what it takes to design an NNN (non-use, non-disclosure, and non-circumvention agreements) which can pose enough of a credible threat to dissuade contract violations.

Defining protected information: keeping everyone on the same page

NNN agreements should clearly define which rights are being disclosed or licensed, their nature, and their scope. Clear mechanisms for identifying and marking, accounting for, and maintaining secrecy for this information (or indications of who will bear these responsibilities, what general types of information should be considered confidential, or processes for retroactively marking material as confidential) should be present. If desired, additional clauses can also outline what types of information will not be considered confidential. Naturally, before these types of information can be identified, an SME should first understand just what its trade secrets are. Conducting an IP assessment and audit can identify key IP which was otherwise taken for granted or not fully appreciated by the SME and can assign a value to the IP which will make calculating contract damages much easier.

While the contract is in force, these rules should be strictly followed. Over the course of the contract, additional IP may be generated as a result of the work of employees or independent innovations on the part of the manufacturer. NNN agreements can also include clauses which dictate that all such IP belongs to the SME and can thereby avoid future disputes. Note, however, that China places restrictions on the export of some technology—meaning that agreements automatically granting new IP to the SME could be struck down in court. Continue reading “Writing a Good Manufacturing Non-disclosure Agreement in China” »

Cambodia applied online Registration System for Trade Marks

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shutterstock_152628707Good news for all the European SMEs wishing to do business in Cambodia, it is now possible to file trade mark registration applications online. Today’s blog post has been kindly shared with us by our South-East Asia IPR SME Helpdesk external expert Mr. Nguyen Hoa Binh from Daitin & Associates. In this blog post Mr. Nguyen Hoa Binh explains the new online application process in more detail. 

On 25 May 2017, the Ministry of Commerce in Cambodia launched online trade mark filing system.

The new launched online filing system allow Applicant to file applications to register their trade marks online.

Accordingly, Applicants can upload the required documents and information through the online trade mark filing system.

The trademark applicant can also conduct preliminary trademark search from the Cambodia Department of Intellectual Property database.

Under the Prakas (Regulation) issued by the Ministry of Commerce on May 4, 2017, an applicant with permanent residence or principal place of business inside Cambodia can use this system.

The applicant has to request in writing to the DIP for a user name and password. For foreign applicants, the system can only be used through a registered Cambodian trademark agent.

Once the trademark application has been filed, when the applicant is represented by an agent, the original, notarized power of attorney, along with any priority documents, must be submitted in hard copy to the Department of Intellectual Property within two months from the filing date. Continue reading “Cambodia applied online Registration System for Trade Marks” »