IPOS Updates Two Existing Programmes Amid Singapore's Post Covid-Recovery to Help More Enterprises Protect Their IP

The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) has refreshed its SG IP FAST Programme and Enhanced Mediation Promotion Scheme (EMPS) to help more businesses accelerate their ideas to market and resolve their IP disputes, as Singapore reopens its economy and strengthens its position as a global innovation and IP hub.

SG IP FAST Programme

IP filings with IPOS has increased by 33% over the past five years, pointing to a steady growth in innovation. In 2021, IPOS saw close to 14,600 patent applications. With the rising volume of IP filings, IPOS has streamlined its acceleration programmes to give more enterprises a competitive edge as global economies reopen.

The SG IP FAST programme will be extended to April 2024 with a doubled annual cap of 120 patent applications while the 12 Months File-to-Grant programme will cease, enabling more enterprises to receive their patent in as fast as 6 months or 9 months with SG IP FAST. The period to request acceleration for related trade mark and/or registered design applications under SG IP FAST has also been extended from 1 to 12 months to give applicants more time to build their IP portfolio and growth strategy.

"We launched SG IP FAST in 2020 to expedite IP protection for businesses and help them use IP to thrive despite the pandemic. This update is part of the Singapore IP Strategy (SIPS 2030) to enhance Singapore’s position as a global IA/IP hub, and as the economy recovers, we hope it will enable even more enterprises to accelerate their ideas to market and leverage IP for growth." shared Ms Sharmaine Wu, Director of Patents, Designs and Plant Varieties at IPOS.

Homegrown global consumer internet company, Sea, the parent company of Shopee, Garena and SeaMoney, has benefitted from SG IP FAST and looks forward to continually accelerate its IP journey with IPOS.

"Across all of our businesses, we are constantly innovating new solutions to better serve the rapidly-evolving needs of our communities through technology," said Yanjun Wang, Group General Counsel at Sea. "It is vital that we can move quickly and effectively to implement and protect these innovations, and SG IP FAST enables us to do so."

Revised Enhanced Mediation Promotion Scheme (REMPS)

Apart from accelerated IP protection, businesses can also look forward to more support when resolving IP disputes in Singapore. The Revised Enhanced Mediation Promotion Scheme (REMPS) will support enterprises with an increased funding quantum for disputes involving both Singapore and foreign IP rights.

Mr Mark Lim, Chief Legal Counsel/Director, Hearings and Mediation, IPOS said: "The REMPS encourages parties in IPOS proceedings to choose mediation by funding the process, so that more can experience mediation as an attractive option to resolve their disputes amicably. This is also part of SIPS 2030, where we want to grow international IP dispute resolution in Singapore, by encouraging more businesses and individual IP owners to use the holistic suite of IP dispute resolution services offered here."

IPOS has seen an increased uptake in mediation with more than a doubling of cases in the last three years. Enterprises are considering mediation as an attractive dispute resolution option for IP disputes, citing speed and cost-effectiveness as key considerations. The increased funding offered for disputes involving Singapore and foreign IP rights in REMPS will provide more support to enterprises, especially when there are cross-jurisdictional disputes involved.

The REMPS provides enterprises with an increased funding quantum of about 17% (up to S$14,000 for dispute cases involving Singapore and foreign IP rights). For disputes involving only Singapore IP rights, parties will receive up to S$10,000. From the funding, parties can claim up to 80% of mediation-related lawyer/agent fees and disbursements. In cases where only one party wishes to apply for funding, the sole party who applies for REMPS can claim up to S$3,000 per mediation case.

Source: ipos.gov.sg

Editor: IPR Daily-Selly