RP, US ink IPR accord

The Philippines and the US have entered into an agreement for the improvement of the intellectual property protection system in both countries.

The cooperation agreement signed in Sydney, Australia is expected to further strengthen the acquisition, utilization and protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) in the two nations.

The Philippines was represented by Intellectual Property Office (IPO) director general Adrian S. Cristobal Jr. while Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Patent and Trademark Office Jon W. Dudas signed for the US.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) provides for three main undertakings specifically: the improvement in the administration of intellectual property (IP) protection system; identification of the effectiveness of legal protection for and in the use of IP and; the development of professional skills through information sharing and exchange and capacity building.

Under the MOU, the US will provide technical assistance on the development of patents, particularly utility model and industrial design, and trademark examination manuals, automated patent and trademark examination tools, and other modernization projects.

Both agencies will exchange information on IPR-related matters and compile and publish information materials such as reviews of best practices. They will likewise provide each other copies of their respective laws and regulations, manuals and guidelines for examiners, and other references such as literature, statistics, judgments and decisions on intellectual property cases.

"The USPTO appreciates this opportunity to work with the Philippines. We are confident that, together, we will contribute to enhancing the administration of intellectual property rights for IP users in both the Philippines and the United States," Dudas said in a statement.

For his part, Cristobal said the alliance is a clear manifestation of the importance of intellectual property to economic development and growth.

"With this MOU, our strategic partnership with USPTO has gone beyond enforcement strategies, it now includes capacity-building for patent examinations in biotechnology, strategies for commercialization of patented technologies, and raising public awareness and education on the importance of IP in today’s knowledge economy," he noted.