In today’s blog post, the Helpdesk team will provide you some valuable tips on how to safely transfer your technology to South-East Asian countries.
In recent years, European SMEs have started to look to the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to be a key player in the investment and development of several different types of technologies across a multitude of industries. Relatively low labor costs, high skill levels and diversity in the level of development across the region, enabling South-East Asia to attract a range of technologies, are making the region so attractive for the European SMEs.
Whilst accessing the lucrative South-East Asian markets, the European SMEs are often willing to ‘transfer’ some of their technologies and designs to local subsidiaries of European firms, joint-venture partners, or local manufacturing and service companies. One of the challenges facing European companies coming to South-East Asia is devising creative solutions to minimize the risk to their intellectual property associated with technology transfers. A technology transfer can happen in a number of different ways. European companies most commonly transfer their technology by licensing their patents, designs, software, trade secrets, and know-how. A common misconception is that a technology transfer is limited to transfers of high technology. However, many European companies using contract manufacturing to manufacture low technology, consumer, or industrial products, such as those based on product designs, must deal with the same risks to their IP as their high technology counterparts. Continue reading “Protecting your IP whilst Transferring Technology to South-East Asia” »
In today’s blog post, we will take a look at how SMEs can protect the interior design of their shops, which can be as important as protecting their brand and other types of IP. 
Today’s blog post has been kindly drafted for us by our IPR SME Helpdesk expert Mr. Somboon Earterasarun from Tilleke & Gibbins. Mr Earterasarun gives an excellent overview on how to fight against trade mark infringements in Indonesia. 
Your IP in the Chinese Automotive Industry
Businesses in Europe have increasingly benefited from Customs authorities acting to prevent counterfeit products from entering their borders – seizures of products infringing on others intellectual property (IP) make news stories around Europe every week. Not many businesses, however, realise that unlike most countries the Chinese Customs authorities not only have the power to examine and seize criminal imports, but also exports. China Customs have the authority to protect IP rights by confiscating infringing goods and imposing fines on infringers. If the infringement of IP rights exceeds a certain threshold, then the Customs authorities will also arrange for criminal proceedings to be brought against the infringing party.