Launching of ASEAN IP Portal-Background History

The protection of Intellectual Property (IP) rights have become a concern to the Government and the creative people. The IP rights deal with most common issues like public health, education, trade, industrial policy, traditional knowledge, biodiversity, biotechnology, the internet, the cultural industries or climate change. It has become difficult to track the IP infringement due to the rapid expansion of international norms and diversity of IP laws. Therefore, the information about the latest development in the field of IP is vital to the Government and the IP creators. Visual and print media are playing a great role to provide the information about the latest technology, patent law and other related subjects in the field of Intellectual property rights. However, this information is not sufficient to cater the needs of the IP creators.
Association of South Asian Nations (ASEAN) is working to create awareness about the protection of IP in the region through ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) for the past several years. The ASEAN was founded in 1967 for promoting the economic growth, cultural development and social progress of the member nations. Currently, the organization has 10 member states. The member states are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The group observed that there is a widening gap of knowledge and information between the developed and developing nations. The main challenge of the ASEAN Countries is to remove this barrier. Besides it, the task of formulating a common principle for IP protection is very difficult task due to the highly diverse culture of the member countries.
ASEAN countries realized that the protection of IP Rights
might become an important tool for the alleviation of poverty through social, economical and technological progress. Member nations committed to share, cooperate and work together to promote IP related issues and improve the regional framework and used their resources fully for implementing the recommendations of AWGIPC.

In this context, Association of South Asian Nations (ASEAN) has launched ASEAN IP portal on 26th. April, 2013, world IP day. According to the news release “The ASEAN IP Portal was launched today, in conjunction with World IP Day. Comprising information on ASEAN IP systems, comparative IP-related data, and web links to ASEAN IP Offices, stakeholders of ASEAN Member States can now obtain IP information for the entire ASEAN region via a consolidated platform.”
The functions of ASEAN IP is
• Create IP links with the member nations.
Share the recent development of IP legal issues among the members .
Create a common platform to exchange views regarding protection of intellectual property rights among the members.
Raise the awareness about the protection of IP rights among the common people.
Create stronger presence ASEAN countries in the world IP scenario.
In his inaugural speech, Ms Sim Ann, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Communications and Information & Ministry of Education, said that the introduction of the ASEAN IP would give due recognition and respect to the IP creator and it would encourage and develop the creative talents of ASEAN countries.
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