The European Union doubles down on intellectual property cooperation with IPOPHL

To facilitate the EU-PHilippines free trade agreement  

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines  (IPOPHL) and the European Union are underlining cooperation in intellectual property, in part to facilitate the ongoing negotiations for a Philippines-EU free trade agreement (FTA) which includes a chapter on intellectual property. 

“The vibrant trade and investment relationship between the EU and the Philippines is anchored on a business environment that includes strong intellectual property protection and enforcement. This area of intellectual property infringement is one where we need to cooperate as closely as possible, especially in a digital environment,” said European Union Ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen said in his opening remarks during the Regional Workshop on Online Infringements for IPR Enforcement Officials, Prosecutors & Asean experts on enforcement. 

“Addressing online infringements is a big challenge to us, especially to law enforcement officials, because of the complexities, unpredictability and highly advanced technologies employed in the sale of counterfeit goods and products via the internet. The use of equally sophisticated technologies and methods to detect, countervail, intercept, prevent and stop online infringements are necessary,” added IPOPHL Deputy Director General Teodoro C. Pascua, on the emergence of online piracy as a threat to enforcement.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) outlined the two major intellectual-property projects it is currently implementing in cooperation with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), one of which is focused to tackle possible challenges in the intellectual property chapter of the ongoing EU-Philippines FTA. 

The IPKey SEA is among the active projects of the EUIPO geared towards enhancing the intellectual property protection and enforcement in Southeast Asia, for the benefit foreign businesses operating in that area,including EU companies and innovators.  

“The main benefit of this IP Key SEA project, whose work plan has just been approved, is facilitation of businesses’ engagement and use of the intellectual property landscape in the Asean,” said Mr. Ignacio de Medrano Caballero, IP Key SEA and Arise+IPR Project Leader. 

The IPKey SEA will be implemented on a bilateral basis with specific countries which the EU has significant commercial ties, which includes the Philippines by virtue of the FTA now being discussed, said Mr. Ignacio de Medrano Caballero, IP Key SEA and Arise+IPR Project Leader.

On a regional basis, the EUIPO will be among those implementing the Enhanced ASEAN Regional Integration Support from the EU (ARISE Plus) programme, an Asean-oriented project of the EU in development cooperation.

“Southeast Asia is the only region in the world where two programs on intellectual property is being implemented, and almost half of the budget on technical cooperation on intellectual property on EU-funded projects is dedicated to Asean,” Mr. Caballero said.

The EUIPO and the IPOPHL are in close cooperation in holding several events this Intellectual Property Month under these two projects, including a colloquium for commercial Judges and a workshop on mediation of intellectual property cases.