The Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Committee works closely with the Singapore and EU IP authorities including the EU IP Office, Singapore Customs, as well as the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), on topics relating to border enforcement, and IP commercialisation initiatives.
The IPR Committee had discussed with the Singapore authorities the challenges brand owners faced and how committee members will be able to share international best practices to increase protection for rights holders as Singapore positions itself as the IP hub of the region. The committee discussed with government representatives current practices of safeguarding the intellectual property rights of brand owners at the country’s borders and in the domestic market. The committee was keen to collaborate with the Singapore IP policymaking and enforcement agencies in numerous ways and serve as an effective dialogue platform between brand owners and policymakers.
The committee, together with the IP authorities acknowledge that rights infringers and counterfeiters frequently alter their techniques to evade enforcement actions. As infringed products not only dilute the incentive for firms to innovate, some counterfeit products may even pose a public health and safety risk, which is therefore crucial for brand owners and IP authorities to work even more closely.