The First Seminar on the Asian IPR Regulatory Framework of China Launched in Shanghai

July 12, 2008

On July 10, 2008, the First Seminar on the Asian IPR Regulatory Framework of China was launched in Shanghai. The Seminar was sponsored by the Asia Invest European Business Organizations (EBOs) Asian Regional IPR Protection Project, organized by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. The Seminar lasted for 2 days and included more than 250 participants who attended, including senior IP officials, judges, and lawyers from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

The participants addressed the legal framework for protection of Trademarks, Patents, and Copyrights and discussed selected topics relating to these three IP-protected areas. The second seminar on enforcement and border control is scheduled to take place on August 28th and 29th in Jakarta, Indonesia.

IPR protection has been a key issue in the Asian economic environment in recent years. EBOs held regional meetings against counterfeiting and piracy in Seoul, South Korea in May 2005 and in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2006. On the basis of a joint initiative with the Directorate General Enterprise of the European Commission (EC), the participants decided that region-wide action should be taken in order to improve the overall situation of IPR protection in Asia. Building on these foundations, the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China submitted a proposal for an IPR Protection Project under the Asia Invest Program of the EC. The project was approved and commenced its work on December 1, 2006.

Dr. Michael Pulch, Minister Counselor of the Delegation of the European Commission to China commented, “Through this project the European Business Organizations intend to address this need (for publicly accessible data)by establishing a series of effective web-based communicative tools, thereby providing a platform where relevant organizations can share knowledge, expertise and experience in developing effective IP protection strategies.”