1 Singapore will be hosting the Europe Asia Patent and Patent Information Conference (EAP2IC), the premier patent information conference in the region. To be held on 9 to 11 November 2011 at the Orchard Hotel, the event is jointly organised by the European Patent Office (EPO), World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS).
2 EAP2IC 2011 provides an international platform where leading voices in the Intellectual Property (IP) industry gather to discuss and exchange insights on patent information and IP management. The theme of EAP2IC 2011 is on enhancing technology transfer between Europe and Asia through patents, which is especially apt in light of the rapid pace of technological change that is reshaping the global business environment.
3 The keynote address on "The Patent Wars – Is It Stifling Innovation?" will be made by Dr Michael Frohlich, Senior Director in EU Intellectual Property Strategy, Research In Motion. Other prominent speakers include Mr François-Régis Hannart, EPO's Principal Director for European and International Co-operation, Mr Alejandro Roca Campaña, WIPO's Senior Director-Advisor for Global Infrastructure Sector, as well as Mr Quek Tong Boon, Chief Defence Scientist of Ministry of Defence, and also Chairman of IPOS' Board.
4 The Conference will be attended by both local and international IP practitioners, thought leaders, policy makers and business entrepreneurs. The participants will be discussing the latest developments on patent protection strategies, experiences in cross-border IP transactions, and the importance of planning a successful patent strategy for competitive advantage.
5 Mr K. Shanmugam, Minister for Law and Foreign Affairs, said: "Singapore has taken steps to position itself as a hub for intellectual property (IP) in the region in the areas of education and IP infrastructure. It is part of a national effort to systematically build up IP protection, exploitation and management expertise in Singapore, in the private sector as well as in the public sector."
6 Mr Tan Yih San, Chief Executive of IPOS, said: "EAP2IC underpins the strategic importance of Asia-Europe cooperation in IP. As a responsible member of the global IP community, Singapore is committed to engender greater dialogue and collaborations between different stakeholders to forge win-win partnership, and contributing actively as an IP services hub for the region. EAP2IC is also part of IPOS' efforts to promote IP so that our businesses could use IP as their competitive edge, and for our innovators and researchers to take comfort with IP so that they could continue to create, innovate and build a better tomorrow for Singapore."
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF SINGAPORE (IPOS)
9 November 2011
Media Contact:
Ms Gracie Xiang
Senior Executive
Public Relations Department
DID: 63308604
Email: Gracie_Xiang@ipos.gov.sg
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About EAP2IC 2011
Please visit www.eap2ic.com for more information on the Conference programme and details.
About Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS)
The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), a statutory board under the Ministry of Law since April 2001, is the lead government agency which advises on and administers intellectual property (IP) laws, promotes IP awareness and provides the infrastructure to facilitate the development of IP in Singapore. With IP fast becoming a critical resource in today’s economy, IPOS’s vision is to foster a creative Singapore where ideas and intellectual efforts are valued, developed and exploited. More information on IPOS can be found on www.ipos.gov.sg.
About European Patent Office (EPO)
The mission of the European Patent Office or EPO (www.epo.org) is to support innovation, competitiveness and economic growth for the benefit of the citizens of Europe. Its task is to grant European patents for inventions on the basis of a centralized procedure for the contracting states to the European Patent Convention (EPC). This procedure was signed in Munich on 5 October 1973 and entered into force on 7 October 1977. The EPO is the executive arm of the European Patent Organisation; an intergovernmental body set up under the EPC, whose members are the EPC contracting states. It has its headquarters in Munich and offices at The Hague, Brussels, Berlin and Vienna. With its workforce of nearly 6,600 staff, the EPO is the second-largest intergovernmental institution in Europe after the European Commission.
About World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations based in Geneva, Switzerland. WIPO was established in 1967 with a mandate from its Member States (184 as of today) to promote the protection of Intellectual Property throughout the world through cooperation among states and in collaboration with other international organizations. More information on WIPO can be found on www.wipo.int.