Trade fairs in South-East Asia provide European SMEs with the opportunity to present their innovations and ideas to potential business partners and customers whilst also allowing them to learn from and collaborate with other innovators. There is, however, a risk in that disclosing their innovations to the public may leave them exposed to third parties copying and infringing their IP. Infringement of innovations may not necessarily be straightforward ‘counterfeiting’ – i.e. exact product, packaging and brand imitation. It is more likely that competitors could be using, intentionally or otherwise, a certain part of a European SME’s product or innovation. It is therefore advisable to be as diligent as possible and to get to know your competitors’ products.
SMEs planning to attend trade fairs should therefore be aware of potential for IP infringements and of the measures that they can take to protect their products. A practical and realistic approach must be taken when preparing for and attending trade fairs. IP owners must also be patient and pragmatic, as it is unlikely that immediate action can always be taken against the infringer. There are, however, steps that IP owners can take before, during and after the event to best protect their IP. Continue reading “Protecting Your IP at Trade Fairs in South-East Asia” »
Malaysia is a South-East Asian nation consisting of sections on the Malay Peninsula and on the island of Borneo, with the South China Sea lying between them. Malaysia’s population of over 30 million works in the world’s 20
In Malaysia, no pure information can be considered property. However, as a party to TRIPS and other agreements, Malaysia does have laws which prevent the unauthorised disclosure of information. This information is commonly referred to as “trade secrets,” although it is called “confidential information” in Malaysian law. This definition means that trade secrets cannot be proactively registered, but can form the basis of action taken against others. Confidential information in Malaysia can also take the form of virtually any other confidential information which was secret and protected by contractual agreements.
Geographical indications (GIs) are any type of symbol, mark, etc. which is used to identify the country, region, or area from which goods originate and to which is assigned a given reputation. For example, Champagne is one of France’s most famous GIs, and goods marked as Champagne must be produced in the Champagne region and are reputed to be of high quality. Similar products not from the area must content themselves with descriptions such as “Made in Champagne-style” or “sparkling wine.” Malaysia boasts some indigenous GIs, such as Sarawak Peppers and Sabah Seaweed. In this article we’ll be looking at how you can protect your GIs in Malaysia.
An industrial design is the ornamental or aesthetic aspect of a product and is handled by the Industrial Designs Registry at the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia.