Philippines-Mexico strengthen IP cooperation

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines and Mexico have strengthened anew the intellectual property (IP) cooperation agreement between the two countries.

In a statement, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said it has signed over the weekend a new and expanded IP cooperation pact with Mexico which seeks to assist in growing trade and transfer of innovation between both countries.

“The Philippines has so many things in common with Mexico. Both were former colonies of Spain and are now emerging as economic powerhouses in their respective regions. This agreement ensures stronger cooperation in IP which is a critical area in the promotion of innovation, trade and investment,” IPOPHL acting director general Allan Gepty said.

The signing of the IP agreement happened on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation IP Rights Experts’ Group (APEC-IPEG) meeting in Cebu City, the second meeting hosted by the Philippines this year.

“With the Mexico delegation present in full force here in Cebu City, we took this rare opportunity to finalize an expanded IP agreement,” Gepty said.

The new and expanded agreement between the two countries follows a technical collaboration pact signed by the Philippines and Mexico in September 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Under the pact, the IPOPHL and the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property agreed to work together to promote innovation, creativity and technological advancement.

The scope of cooperation activities covers IP commercialization, enforcement and awareness.

“The two IP offices agreed to cooperate to ensure the proper administration, protection, use and enforcement of industrial property rights such as invention patents, utility models, industrial designs, trademarks and geographical indications,” the IPOPHL said.

The IPOPHL said the agreement has already paved the way for the establishment of mechanisms for the bilateral development and protection of industrial property between the agency and Mexican counterpart.

The IPOPHL has vowed to continue improving efforts on IP rights enforcement even as the country remains out of the US government’s list of countries tagged with IP rights problems.