ASEAN works to set up common patent office

ASEAN works to set up common patent office

MANILA (AFP): The Association of Southeast Asian Nations hopes
to have a common patent office in place by 2000, the chairman of
an ASEAN working group on intellectual property said here
yesterday.

But Weerawit Weeraworawit admitted that members still had not
agreed on the precise timetable and method for setting up a
common ASEAN patent or trademark office and work remained to be
done.

Speaking at an ASEAN symposium on intellectual property being
held in consultation with the European Union, Weerawit said ASEAN
countries hoped to forge a general "Program of Action" relating
to intellectual property.

This would be a prelude to setting up a common ASEAN patent or
trademark office, which he admitted would be a challenge.

"We might do it before the year 2000," said Weerawit, who is
also a director of Thailand's Department of Intellectual
Property.

Under the plan, a patent or trademark registered under that
office could be considered as registered in all ASEAN countries
-- Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand and Vietnam.

Weerawit said that in June an ASEAN meeting reached a general
consensus on a draft framework for cooperation on intellectual
property, although he stressed this was not a final document.

"Some of our colleagues wanted to modify some wording," he
said, without indicating who precisely wanted alterations.

Ignacio Saplalo, director-general of the Philippines' bureau
of patents and trademarks, said Indonesia had disagreed with some
items.

Such an office would provide intellectual property rights
protection in line with the World Trade Organization standards,
Weerawit said, but added that it would also provide special
privileges to the ASEAN nations.

Such an ASEAN-wide office could have linkages with the EU or
Japan. The office as envisaged would be modeled on the European
Union's patent office, he said, noting that the EU was providing
inputs to the ASEAN program.

Various officials at the symposium admitted that while ASEAN
had tightened its laws to protect intellectual property,
enforcement was still irregular.

"There is still a lot more to be done. You can call it the
weak link of ASEAN countries," Christiaan Tack, project manager
of the EU-ASEAN Patents and Trademarks Program said.

Johan Amand, head of the cooperation section of the European
Patent Office, said Europeans were concerned over the patents on
pharmaceutical products, the length and costs of legal procedures
in ASEAN and the lack of specialized courts and judges to handle
the problem.

Officials from ASEAN countries admitted this was because
copyright and patent violations were not generally seen as
harmful in ASEAN countries.

But they also admitted that ASEAN countries would have to
increase their levels of protection in order to keep attracting
investors and to make their products welcome in other countries.

ASEAN countries have often been accused, particularly by the
United States, of not actively combating intellectual piracy and
counterfeiting of products.