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21 October 2013
Closer cooperation on intellectual property issues are happening between Asia and Europe, including a recent memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Taiwan and the United Kingdom.
The British Trade and Cultural Office (BTCO) in Taiwan and the Taipei Representative Office in the UK agreed to increase information sharing and cooperation, and will exchange views on IP issues including internet piracy, patent law harmonization and changes in IPR legislation, said the UK government.
“The MOU highlights some specific areas of interest, and I think it is instructive that the first issue mentioned is internet piracy,” says Peter Dernbach, a partner at Winkler Partners in Taipei. “This is an issue that has been identified as an important area in need of improvement in Taiwan, both by the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) and rights owners. TIPO is likely interested to see how the UK and other countries are addressing this problem.” Dernbach heads the firm’s IP practice and is a co-chair of the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei’s Intellectual Property & Licensing Committee.
Arthur Shay, a partner at Shay & Partners in Taipei, appreciates Taiwan’s continuing effort in broadening its contact with relevant IPR agencies around the world. “Taiwan needs to be seen in the international community. Thus I look forward to more business from UK in relation to IPR capital investment while right owners at the side of Atlantic may be assured of reasonable protection as expected.”
“On the other hand, the quick growth of cultural and creative industry in the UK could provide authors and right owners in Taiwan a well access to the worldwide exposure via cooperation between the agencies,” Shay tells Asia IP. “The signing of memorandum of understanding was really inspiring. Through the cooperation with the UK, we are expecting that it could lead to the establishment of patent prosecution highway to accelerate the examination and shorten the time for the application to be granted,” says Fanny Chung, a senior partner at Asia Liuh Intellectual Property Office in Taichung.
“It is anticipated that the TIPO’s examination process will be improved, and an effective and adequate protection of IPRs would be further promoted and enforced,” says Echo Yeh counselor at Lexcel Partners in Taipei.
Taiwan’s cooperation with UK dates to 2000 when the two offices signed an agreement on cooperation concerning mutual recognition of intellectual property rights. Over the past 10 years, Taiwan has signed similar agreements with France, Australia, Italy, the Philippines and other countries.
