Taiwan IP Updates

 By Lyndon 

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Taiwan Discusses Intellectual Property Rights with U.S. and Japan

A two-day workshop, organized by the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF), brought representatives from Taiwan, Japan and the U.S. together to talk about protecting trade secrets and intellectual property rights recently.  More than 180 law enforcement officials and experts from 19 Indo-Pacific nations communicated with relevant personnel from the three countries.  Held on-line due to the covid-19 pandemic, various views were shared about how to protect IPR and also how to strengthen IPR as a component of economic growth and competitiveness.  Brent Christensen, the director of the American Institute in Taiwan (A.I.T.), highlighted the importance of the virtuous cycle of interaction, IPR protection, investment and innovation. He also noted that IPR protection is a key ingredient to attract investment and encourage innovation in order to improve economically.  Representatives from Taiwanˇ¦s Prosecutors Office, Taiwan Intellectual Property Office, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation also weighed in on the best practices for prosecuting cases related to trade secrets theft and digital piracy.  The initiative first launched by Taiwan and the U.S. in 2015 is one of the key IPR meetings of the year in the Indo-Pacific region.

IP Navigation Manual for Start-ups in Taiwan

The Taiwan Intellectual Property Office has produced a manual to help start-ups gain a better understanding of the issues around IP protection.  In 2020, TIPO began a series of meetings with various start-ups to hear directly from them and formulate some ways to assist them.  One major finding was that there was an insufficient understanding of intellectual property rights which resulted in start-ups neglecting IP protection, while insufficient capital caused them to overlook the creation of patent portfolios altogether.  Partly in comic strip form and case study stories, the manual breaks down complex IP concepts in an easy-to-understand format.  The stories focus on tech start-up situations and describe the potential hurdles such a business might face from the first day all the way up to product launch.  In this way, it is hoped that budding entrepreneurs will have a clear picture about what kind of IP protection will be best suited to their products.  The main message is clear: early development of portfolios is a must when one considers the lower overall examination fees and shorter average examination waiting times.  Combined with the Positive Patent Examination Pilot Program for Start-up Companies initiative begun recently, TIPO is making every effort to strengthen IP protection for the next generation.

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The EU and Taiwan discuss Internet Copyright Issues

The EU ˇV Taiwan Seminar on Protection of Internet Copyright was held online last December.  The event was organized by the Intellectual Property Office of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (TIPO) and the European Economic and Trade Office (EETO).  By holding this seminar, it is the aim of both sides to provide a more comprehensive road map for the continued development of Internet copyright protection.  Presentations were made by various experts which produced a useful exchange of information which can enhance the publicˇ¦s understanding of the issues.  As protection of Internet copyright has increased in importance, this virtual meeting between 120 virtual participants as well as some in person meetings in such fields as industry, government and academia will go a long way to establish a strong foundation for further understanding and cooperation.

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