SINGAPORE - MediaOutReach - 27 August 2019 - Global intellectual property (IP) andchief executives at major IP agencies today said that pursuing cross border collaborationand partnerships is vital in an increasingly fragmenting economic landscape.

At the plenary session at IP Week @ Singapore (from L-to-R): Mr Tim Moss, Chief Executive Officer & Comptroller General, UK Intellectual Property Office; Session moderator Ms Sandy Huang; Mr Darren Tang, Chief Executive, Intellectual Property Office of Singapore; Mr David Lossignol, President, International Trademark Association; and Dr Fernando Dos Santos, Director General, Africa Regional Intellectual Property Organisation. 

At the opening of IP Week @ SG 2019, UKIntellectual Property Office Chief Executive Officer and Comptroller General MrTim Moss said "the future of IP offices is absolutely about collaboration."There is a need to harmonise IP practices across borders and the UK IPO isworking closely with the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) onthis.

Mr Moss was a key speaker at IP Week inSingapore 2019 which opened on Tuesday (27 August). The Singapore forum is inits 8^th edition and has become a key forum for international IPexperts to exchange views. The forum, organised by IPOS, opened against thebackdrop of enterprises facing greater uncertainties with ongoing tradetensions and political uncertainties.

In his opening address attended by 4,000delegates, IPOS Chief Executive Mr Daren Tang said: "IP is no longer just atechnical vertical (attribute), but a horizontal enabler. And as our economiesbecome transformed by innovation, technology and digitalisation, intangibleassets, not just IP, but data, trade secrets, know-how, expertise and more,will increasingly move to the centre of our economies."

Echoing the message of collaboration, Africa RegionalIntellectual Property Organisation Director General Dr Fernando Dos Santos saidthat his continent is still grappling with internet connectivity and relatedskills in managing IP matters. Hence, cross border collaboration is necessary.

On the matter of Brexit, Mr Moss said that "wehave a situation currently on trade marks and designs based on the EU trademark system which covers 28 countries. When we (the UK) leave on 31 October,there will be 27-member states. That means that two million rights, in theory,will disappear. This is a fundamental property right (and) it is no mean featto create two million new rights overnight (at the UK IPO)."

He added that for any organisation with aEuropean trademark and seeking a UK IP right, "it can be created automaticallyat no extra cost and it will happen on 1 November".

The forum continues with discussions related toIP and cutting-edge technologies and how legislation is evolving.