Singapore: New Initiatives for IP Regime
07 February 2014
The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) will be implementing new initiatives to strengthen its IP regime, an office spokesperson says.
Local innovators are expected to see improvement in quality as well as a shorter wait-time for patent examination. Initiatives include the implementation of new patent legislation known as the positive grant system, the introduction of a substantive examination capability, and the rollout of a suite of government-to-government arrangements to expedite patent applications in the ASEAN region and major markets in the world.
These developments are the result of extensive engagement and consultation with numerous innovators, technology-advanced companies, small-and-medium enterprises, as well as IP professionals over the past three years.
Effective February 14, 2014, IPOS will revamp its patent regime by moving from a self-assessment system to a positive grant system. Under the current self-assessment system, a patent may be granted without having to fulfil all stipulated requirements. The key drawback is uncertainty associated with innovators who wish to go overseas with their patents. With the change to the system, a patent granted in Singapore will have to fulfil all patentability requirements as advised by a newly-created Patent Search-and-Examination (PSE) unit under IPOS. This will raise the overall quality of patents granted in Singapore and align Singapore’s practices closer to those in the major markets such as Europe, Japan and the United States.
To have greater assurance of quality, PSE comprises largely scientists of PhD qualification and has begun examining applications dating as far back as May 2013. Key technology areas include biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, chemistry, nano-materials, semiconductors and info-communications technology. Revised examination guidelines will be in place following the implementation of the system to ensure patent applicants continue to receive high quality and timely services.
As a result, innovators could receive a patent grant within a span of 12 months, if their applications are conforming. This is a significant decrease from the three to four years taken previously.
With higher quality and faster patents, innovators could also ride on the international patent agreements to expand globally with the Patent Prosecution Highways (PPHs) with the US, Japan, China, South Korea and Mexico, as well as the ASEAN Patent Examination Cooperation (ASPEC). Companies can therefore look forward to having its applications accelerated to major markets with net time saving of about 50%. This works out to an estimated total turnaround time of three to four years (saving of up to four years) from Singapore to various ASEAN countries, and turnaround time of two to three years (saving of up to two years) to Japan and the US.
IPOS will also be introducing IP2SG, an integrated electronic-filing portal aimed at simplifying the process of e-filing and access to IP information such as patents, trademarks and designs. Applicants can enjoy cost savings over the course of their patents’ life cycle.
IP2SG will be launched in phases, commencing with the patent-related functions in phase one. To mitigate initial launch jitters, IPOS has implemented alternative modes of filing and system measures to ensure smooth operation of this platform during this transition period.
