印度尼西亚专利保护指南-Available-Now-affa-global

印度尼西亚专利保护指南

1. 专利执行程序 1.1. 法庭诉讼 可提起哪些法律或行政程序针对侵权人执行专利权?是否可以或必须向专门的法院提起专利侵权诉讼? 在印度尼西亚,专利所有人可以通过各种法律和行政程序针对侵权人行使其权利。其中某些程序包括以下内容。 民事诉讼:专利所有人可以向商事法庭针对侵权人提起民事诉讼。法院可以向专利所有人授予临时禁令救济、损害赔偿和其他救济。但是,诉讼费用不能由败诉方承担。 刑事投诉:专利所有人可以向民事调查人员和/或印尼警方针对侵权人提起刑事投诉。警方将对投诉进行调查,如果发现侵权证据,可以起诉侵权人。如果罪名成立,侵权人可能面临监禁或罚款,或两者兼而有之。 印度尼西亚的商事法庭负责处理知识产权案件,根据 1999 年第 97 号总统令,印度尼西亚在雅加达、孟加锡、棉兰、三宝垄和泗水分别设立了商事法庭,专门处理破产和知识产权案件等商事案件。然而,审理专利侵权案件的法官并不一定具有必要的技术背景,故专家证人在专利诉讼案件中的参与是必不可少的。 在侵权案件中,司法管辖权由被告的住所决定。如果专利持有人或索赔人位于印度尼西亚境外,必须按照《专利法》第 144 条的规定向雅加达中部商业法院提起诉讼。   1.2. 审判形式和时间安排 专利侵权审判采用什么形式? 印度尼西亚的民事诉讼以书面和口头辩论的方式进行。法官们将同时听取双方当事人的口头辩论,以书面证据为主。事实证人也可以在法庭上提供口头证据。但是,仅凭证人陈述书或宣誓书是不够的,因为这些仅作为补充的书面证据。一般而言,审判程序如下: 在法院传唤原告和被告后出席一审; 被告对原告的撤销之诉提出答辩时,出席二审; 准备原告对被告应诉的答辩书; 出席第三次开庭审理,提交原告答辩状; 被告对原告的答复提出答辩时,出席第四次开庭审理; 准备原告提交法院的证据; 出席第五次开庭审理,提交原告证据,审查被告证据; 根据原告和被告双方向法院提交的文件和证据,准备结案并归档; 结案时,出席第六次开庭审理; 出席第七次开庭审理,听取法官的判决;和 法院发布判决。   对于专利民事纠纷,根据《专利法》第 145 条第(4)款的规定,当事人双方向商事法庭申请不公开审理的,可以不公开审理。这是为了对容易被相关领域知识渊博的人操纵或改进的流程保密。 请注意,根据法律,商事法庭必须在专利民事诉讼提起之日起 180 天内作出判决。但是,对于刑事诉讼,这一过程可能需要更长的时间,具体取决于案件的复杂程度以及证人和所提交证据的数量。然而,通常持续 6 到 18 个月。 不同于设有专门法院或法官专门处理知识产权问题的其他司法管辖区,印尼没有规定这样的制度。切记,如果争议具有商业性质,上述商事法庭也会处理非知识产权问题。此外,法官缺乏科学背景——因此,在诉讼中引入专家证人的重要性不言而喻。可以请专家证人就与案件有关的技术、科学问题提供意见。 印度尼西亚尚未采用陪审制度,法官在法庭审理中发挥着重要而积极的作用。此外,判例仅具有参考性质,不像普通法制度具有法律约束力。   1.3. 证据要求 什么是认定专利侵权、无效和不可强制执行的举证责任? 根据《民法典》第 1865 条,提出索赔的一方有责任提供证据证明其主张。因此,在专利侵权案件中,索赔人必须通过出示证据来证明侵权已经发生。 但是,《专利法》第 145 条规定,在涉及专利工艺的专利无效诉讼中,有下列情形之一的,可以将举证责任转移给被告: 使用专利工艺生产的产品是全新的;或 涉案产品疑似使用专利工艺生产的,但专利持有人经努力查明,也无法确定制造该产品所采用的工艺。 专利所有人拥有利用其专利的专有权,并禁止他人使用、制造、进口、出租、交付、供应、租赁其专利产品或工艺或从事涉及其专利产品或工艺的任何其他活动。但是,在涉及专利工艺的案件中,如果所产生的产品是全新的,专利持有人无法确定被告的产品生产方式,根据《专利法》第 145 条的规定,举证责任反转。在这种情况下,法院将要求被告证明其产品不涉及专利工艺。法官还将通过可能停止公开诉讼程序的方式来维护被告的权益。   1.4. 起诉权 谁可以提起专利侵权诉讼?被控侵权人可在什么情况下起诉,以获得与指控相关的司法裁决或声明?  为了主张侵权,索赔人或专利持有人必须证明被侵权产品或工艺与拥有的注册专利中所主张的产品或工艺相同。专利持有人可以同时提起刑事和民事诉讼,后者为在刑事诉讼中证实的侵权行为寻求损害赔偿。因侵权而受到处罚的被告仍可能对原告主张的民事损害赔偿承担责任。 《专利法》规定,构成专利侵权的行为分为九类:制造、使用、销售、进口、租赁、转让、供销售、供租赁和供转让。只要证明其中一项,专利持有人就可以追究侵权行为。   1.5. 引诱、共同侵权和多方侵权 在何种程度上,针对引诱或促成专利侵权追究当事人的责任?如果一方仅实施专利权利要求的某些要素(或步骤),但多方共同实施所有要素(或步骤),多方是否可以共同承担侵权责任? 如果当事人侵犯的是同一项专利,可以在一起诉讼中起诉多个被告。   1.6. 多个被告合并诉讼 在同一起诉讼中,可同时起诉多个当事人作为被告吗?如果可以,要求是什么?所有被告都必须被指控侵犯所有相同的专利吗? 如果当事人侵犯的是同一项专利,可以在一起诉讼中起诉多个被告。   1.7. 外国活动构成的侵权 发生在司法管辖区之外的活动可在何种程度上证明专利侵权指控? 印尼的专利法没有对发生在印尼境外的侵权行为进行约束。专利持有人必须出示直接和明确的证据表明侵权行为发生在国内,才能提起刑事或民事诉讼。   1.8. 等价物侵权 可在何种程度上证明主张标的的“等价物”侵权? 均等原则在印度尼西亚并不适用。   1.9. 证据开示 有哪些机制适用于从对方当事人、第三方或国外获取证据以证明侵权、损害或无效? 在印度尼西亚的法律实践中没有发现程序,当事人无权要求提交文件。在印度尼西亚提起诉讼的过程中,当事人无法根据《民事诉讼程序》获得证据,因为没有关于证据开示的规定。当事人有权酌情披露其打算在法律诉讼中使用的文件,但是不存在通过传票强制其他方或第三方提供文件的程序。   1.10. 诉讼时间表 专利侵权诉讼在初审法院和上诉法院通常需要多久? 根据《专利法》第 146 条第(1)项的规定,法院应当自提起诉讼之日起 180 日内作出判决。法院没有办法加快审理专利侵权,但通常会由于各种原因(即,任何一方要求延迟,或者在某些情况下,法官自行决定延迟)而延迟。   1.11. 诉讼费用 专利侵权诉讼在审判前、审判期间和上诉时通常会发生哪些费用?是否允许按判决金额收费? 诉讼费用可能会因受托律师的专业知识、专家证人和诉讼标的的难度而有所差异。初审费用的范围从 85,000 美元到 200,000 美元不等。请注意,律师费应由从受托律师获得法律服务的一方承担。因此,索赔人或原告将不可能就产生的法律费用向另一方寻求赔偿。   1.12. 法院上诉 在法院对专利侵权诉讼作出不利判决后,有哪些上诉途径?在上诉阶段允许出示新的证据吗? 如果任何一方对一审判决不服,可以向最高法院申请撤销判决。请注意,希望撤销判决的一方可自一审判决发布之日起 14 天内通过发出撤销判决的通知,告知商业法庭其撤销判决的意图。与商业法庭的诉讼程序不同,最高法院将不进行口头或直接审理。因此,最高法院的判决完全基于答辩状中的论据。 根据《最高法院法》第 30 条,有以下几种撤销判决的理由: 缺乏权限或越权; 错误适用或违反适用法律;以及 未遵守某些程序要求。 在撤销判决或上诉阶段不允许提出新的证据。但是,如果出现以前无法获得的新证据(novum),败诉方只能在请求司法审查时提交(参见《最高法院法》第 67b 条)。   1.13. 竞争考虑因素 专利执行可在何种程度上使专利所有人对违反竞争法、不正当竞争或与商业有关的侵权行为承担责任? 请注意,印度尼西亚《竞争法》不能用于在印度尼西亚强制执行与专利有关的事项。但是,在使用已注册专利时不得违反现行法律、法规和国家利益(参见《专利法》第 78 条)。   1.14. 替代性争议解决 可在何种程度上采用替代性争议解决方法来解决专利纠纷? 理论上,当事人可以通过仲裁或者其他替代性争议解决方案解决争议(参见《专利法》第 153 条)。在发生专利侵权的情况下,法律要求双方首先通过调解解决问题(参见《专利法》第 154 条)。 可以提请知识产权仲裁调解协会通过仲裁解决争议。但是,专利局不能执行仲裁裁决,因为专利局只是根据法院的判决或自身的特权行事。   2. 专利的范围和所有权 2.1. 受保护发明的种类 专利是否涵盖任何类型的发明,包括软件、商业方法和医疗程序? 《专利法》于 2016 年颁布,政府最终于 2019 年发布了备受期待的专利审查指南。现行法律与其前身的不同之处在于,不承认各种标的的专利性,例如:商业方法、计算机程序本身、现有产品的新用途和现有化合物的新形式。 《专利法》第 4 条(c)款第(3)项排除了商业方法的专利性。但是,如果计算机通过技术手段实现的商业方法具有技术特征,这种专利性可得到认可,进一步解释请见《技术指南》附件 3 第 2.4 条。 《专利法》第 4 条款(d)项还排除了计算机程序的专利性。但是,计算机实现的发明可获得专利,如:《技术指南》附件 3 第 2.1 条所述。计算机实现的发明是指利用计算机等媒介实现的发明:发明的一个或多个特征全部或部分由计算机程序实现。计算机实现的发明的显著特征是程序特征。在符合下列条件的情况下,计算机程序视为一项发明:(1)涉及计算机、服务器、电话、审查器或设备等技术手段,以及(2)在计算机上运行时,它产生了计算机程序(软件)与计算机之间正常物理相互作用之外的进一步技术特征。计算机实现的发明可分为工艺发明(包括方法)和产品发明(包括系统、设备、计算机程序或计算机可读存储介质,或其组合)。 此外,《专利法》第 4 条(f)款第(1)项排除了现有产品新用途的专利性。它还排除第二次或进一步医疗用途的专利性,但根据以前的《专利法》(2001 年第 14 号《专利法》),该用途以前受专利保护。根据现行立法,瑞士第二医疗用途形式(以前用作根据《专利法》不受专利保护的治疗方法的替代方案)不再具有专利性。《技术指南》附件 1 第 5.2 条探讨了几种例外情况,例如,当权利要求保护针对具有疾病 Y 特征的化合物 X 作为限制或区分特征时,现有产品的新用途可获得专利保护。在这种情况下,权利要求保护旨在允许制药工业机构生产仅用于治疗 Y 疾病的药物 X。该疾病特征必须完全具有新颖和原创性,不得涉及与现有技术相同的作用机制,必须在描述中得到临床试验数据、体内试验或体外试验的证实。给药方案、给药时间或频率、患者群体和药物的作用机制不能成为新用途产品的显著特征。以可获得专利的权利要求举例:“用于治疗过敏的化合物 X”,其中现有技术表明化合物 X 被用作杀虫剂。 《专利法》第 4 条(f)款第(2)项排除了现有化合物新形式的专利性。根据《技术指南》附件 1 第 5.3 条,新形式包括化学手性,如:对映体或非对映体、晶体形式、溶剂形式、水合物形式、盐、前药和现有化合物的代谢物。可实现有意义疗效改善的新形式的专利性可得到承认,进一步的解释请见《技术指南》附件 1 第 2 条。有意义的疗效改善可能包括生物利用度的提高、稳定性改善、溶解度提高、毒性降低、安全性提高、效力提高、更宽的活性谱、生产成本降低或治疗期缩短。有意义的疗效改善需要实验数据证实。 《专利法》第 9 条还进一步排除了适用于人类或者动物的检查方法、治疗方法、用药方法或者手术方法的专利性。进一步的解释请见《技术指南》附件 1 第 6 条。根据本法,体外、离体和计算机内的检查或诊断方法仍可获得专利保护。非治疗性治疗方法,如:美容治疗、饮食或其他与健康无关的治疗,仍可获得专利保护。适用于人体或动物的体内检查方法、治疗方法、手术方法和用药方法不具有专利性。 《专利法》第 9 条也排除活生物体。微生物,如:酵母、真菌、细菌和放线菌,是例外。人类细胞和植物细胞也是例外。胚胎、种子、植物的构造、组织、器官、转基因植物和转基因动物的专利性也得不到承认。应具体描述新菌株,并描述与同一物种已知菌株的差异,以承认其新颖性。属于不同分类的新颖微生物被认为具有创造性。就活生物体而言,制造植物或动物的基本生物过程的专利性也被排除在外。然而,非生物方法或微生物方法是可获得专利的。非基本生物过程是指需要人为干预的生物过程,如:植物组织分离法。微生物过程是指包含微生物的生物过程,如:发酵。人工授精、异花授粉和其他可在没有人为干预的情况下自然发生的过程不能获得专利。 核苷酸,如:DNA、cDNA、引物、基因、载体或转化体,可获得专利。可获得专利的核苷酸是指分离核苷酸形式的核苷酸。基因可以通过多核苷酸序列、氨基酸序列或突变代码来表征。载体可以通过 DNA 序列、DNA 限制性内切图、分子量和碱基对数来表征。转化株可以由一个宿主细胞和引入的基因(序列)来表征。基因序列的新颖性通过 BLAST 搜索(一种用于生物信息学的基本的局部比对搜索工具 )或国家生物技术信息中心数据库进行检查。当序列活性不同时,至少在质量上,基因序列视为具有创造性。   2.2. 专利所有权 谁拥有公司员工、独立承包商、多名发明人或合资企业发明的专利?如何正式记录和转让专利所有权? 根据《专利法》第 12 条的规定,员工在公司工作期间所发明的专利的所有权一般归用人单位所有,除非合同另有规定。如果是独立承包商发明的,专利所有权通常属于承包商,除非另有协议规定。如果涉及多个发明人或合资企业,他们共同拥有专利的所有权,除非协议规定如何分配所有权。   3. 抗辩 3.1. 专利无效 专利的有效性如何以及因何理由受到质疑?是否有专门法庭或行政裁判所来处理这件事? 印度尼西亚《专利法》第 130 条规定了认定专利无效的几种理由。最主要的依据是商事法庭发布的无效裁决或专利上诉委员会作出的裁决。 根据《专利法》第 132 条,就注册专利的有效性向商事法庭提出质疑可基于多种理由(专利违反《专利法》第 3 条、第 4 条和第 9 条-因此,不应该授予该专利)。很明显,如果一项专利不具有新颖性,缺乏创造性的工序,或者在工业上无法应用,该专利可能容易失效。对于简单专利,原告可质疑其新颖性和工业应用。具体而言,如果某项专利违反《专利法》第 4 条(不视为发明的事物清单)和第 9 条(不能授予专利的发明清单),专利注册就会被撤销。 另一种认定专利无效的实用方法:根据《专利法》第 20 条,查明原告是否在印度尼西亚发明其专利。《专利法》第 20 条规定,注册的专利必须在印度尼西亚发明或使用才能保持效力。未能在印度尼西亚发明或使用该专利可能导致任何第三方向商事法庭提交专利无效申请。但是,到目前为止,没有人在印度尼西亚以任何专利违反《专利法》第 20 条为由提出质疑。 此外,如果未在专利描述文件中披露遗传资源和/或传统知识的来源,专利注册也可能被宣告无效(参见《专利法》第 26 条)。 举证责任由原告承担。   3.2. 绝对新颖性要求 专利性是否有“绝对新颖性”要求,如有,是否有任何例外? 《专利法》和专利局发布的审查指南采用绝对新颖性原则。该原则简单地指出,被审查的专利只有在视为新颖的情况下才能注册,这意味着在申请时,不应该有类似或相同的发明。然而,《专利法》允许在申请日之前的 6 个月内公开用于教育研究和开发目的的发明,如果因侵犯商业秘密而披露,可以提前 12 个月。   3.3. 显而易见性或创造性测试 根据现有技术,认定专利“显而易见”或具有“创造性”的法律标准是什么? 专利局发布的专利审查指南没有进一步规定“显而易见性或创造性测试”。它简单地指出,被审查的专利只可在具有创造性工序的情况下注册。   3.4. 专利无法执行 由于发明人或专利所有人的不当行为或其他原因,是否有任何理由认为一项原本有效的专利无法强制执行? 《专利法》没有对发明人或者专利所有人的不当行为导致注册专利不可执行的情况作出规定。   3.5. 先使用者辩护 如果被指控的侵权人在专利申请或公布之前一直在私下使用被指控侵权的方法或设备,这算是辩护吗?如果是这样,辩护是否涵盖所有类型的发明?辩护是否仅限于商业用途? 《专利法》还为争议专利的先使用者提供了为自己辩护的机会,前提是该使用者能够证明争议专利的使用不依赖于与注册专利相同的说明书、权利要求和图形。然而,先使用行为必须在专利局备案,才能得到正式承认(参见《专利法》第 14 条)。   4. 救济 4.1. 侵权的金钱救济 对专利侵权人可主张哪些金钱救济?损害赔偿什么时候产生?损害赔偿金是象征性的,提供公平的赔偿还是惩罚性的?特许权使用费是如何计算的? 所有有关知识产权资产的法律都允许被侵权人通过商事法庭寻求损害赔偿。然而,目前尚无确定赔偿数额的已知公式。在寻求损害赔偿时,原告同时考虑物质损失和非物质损失。非物质损失的赔偿金额通常要高得多,但目前未查到任何具有里程碑意义的案件,即:商事法庭在物质和非物质损失的基础上判令全额赔偿原告。 赔偿应根据民事或刑事法院的最终有约束力的判决作出。   4.2. 针对侵权的禁令 在何种程度上才有可能获得临时禁令或最终禁令以防止未来侵权?对侵权人的供应商或客户的禁令有效吗? 在禁令方面,《专利法》允许权利持有人申请临时禁令,以阻止侵权产品进入市场和在市场上流通,并对其进行扣押或没收,以避免更大的损失。 禁令申请应提交商事法庭。   4.3. 禁止进口侵权产品 可在何种程度上阻止侵权产品的进口?是否有专门的法庭或法律程序来实现该目标? 禁止进口侵权产品几乎不可能,除非涉及商标和版权侵权,阻止进口可以通过向印度尼西亚海关提交海关知识产权备案申请来实现。即便如此,也只有在权利持有人是印度尼西亚个人或持有印度尼西亚公司股份的情况下才有可能。   4.4. 律师费 在什么情况下,诉讼当事人可以成功收回成本和律师费? 律师费应由从受托律师获得法律服务的一方承担。因此,索赔人或原告将不可能就产生的法律费用向另一方寻求赔偿。   4.5. 故意侵权 是否可针对故意侵权人行使其他救济?如有,判断是否构成故意侵权的测试或标准是什么?律师的意见是否作为对故意侵权指控的辩护? 对于故意侵权人,无法行使其他救济。事实上,《专利法》并没有明确规定构成故意侵权的门槛。《专利法》仅规定,未经专利持有人许可,不得制造、使用、销售、进口、出租、交付或者供销售或出租任何专利产品。此外,未经专利持有人许可,禁止使用专利工艺制造产品或采取上述其他行动。总之,该条款规定了专利持有人的专有权,禁止他人未经许可使用、销售或者制造其专利产品或者工艺(参见《专利法》第 160 条)。   4.6. 诉讼时效 针对专利侵权寻求救济的时限是多久? 《专利法》没有规定提出专利侵权或者赔偿主张的具体期限。只要专利仍处于注册状态,专利持有人就有权强制执行。   4.7. 专利标记 专利持有人必须对其专利产品进行标记吗?如果是,必须如何做标记?不做标记的后果是什么?虚假专利标记的后果是什么? 《专利法》没有对专利标记相关的义务作出规定。   5. 许可 5.1. 自愿许可 专利所有人授予专利许可所依据的合同条款有什么限制吗? 应该满足几个最低要求。许可协议应包括: 签署许可协议的日期、月份、年份及地点; 许可方和被许可方的名称/姓名和地址; 许可协议的目的; 关于许可证的排他性或非排他性的规定,包括分许可; 许可协议的期限; 许可协议适用的领域;和 专利年费缴纳方(参见《关于知识产权许可协议备案的 2018 年第 36 号政府法规》)。 如果许可方或被许可方居住在印度尼西亚境外或为外国人,必须通过注册的知识产权顾问提交许可协议备案申请。 许可协议应在专利局备案,才能对任何第三方具有法律约束力。   5.2. 强制许可证 是否可通过任何机制获得强制专利许可证?许可证的条款如何确定? 如果注册专利在注册后 36 个月内(3 年)未在印度尼西亚使用或执行,可以申请强制许可证。允许强制许可的其他条件还包括以违反公共利益的方式执行注册专利,以及在未获得专利许可证的情况下执行寻求许可的专利。 请注意,如欲获得强制许可证,需要证明之前的步骤。申请人必须出示证据,表明他们打算根据自己的能力使用该专利,并试图与专利持有人联系,以获得为期最多 12 个月的许可证,但尚未得到任何肯定的答复。法律和人权部还应同意,该专利可以在经济可行的范围内在印度尼西亚实施,并为社会带来效益。(参见《2019 年法律和人权部长第 30 号关于授予强制专利许可程序的条例》,该条例后来被《2021 年法律和人权部长第 14 号关于对 2019 年第 30 号关于授予强制专利许可程序进行修订的条例》所取代。)   6. 专利局诉讼 6.1. 申请专利的时间和费用 获得一项专利通常需要多长时间和多少费用? 在印度尼西亚注册专利的过程包括:提交专利申请、公布、审查和授予专利。一般流程如下:   提交专利申请:专利申请必须向印度尼西亚知识产权局(DGIP)提交——对于 PCT 申请,截止日期将是自最早的优先日起 31 个月。支持延迟申请,但需要支付额外的官方手续费用。   公布:在印尼,专利公布期限为 6 个月。在公布阶段通过后,申请将进入审查阶段(只要申请人已提交实质性审查请求)。   审查:专利申请提交后,专利局将对其进行审查,以确定其是否符合授予专利的要求。这一过程可能涉及对现有技术的审查以及对发明新颖性、创造性和工业适用性的审查。   修订:如果专利局认为专利申请不符合授予条件,可以给申请人一次机会对提出的异议作出答复,并对申请进行修改,以弥补不足之处。可以官方通知的形式实施。   授予:如果专利局认定专利申请符合授予要求,就会授予专利,并向申请人发出许可或授予通知,然后颁发专利证书,但通常可能需要几个月甚至几年才会颁发证书。   维护:一旦授予专利,申请人必须采取措施维护专利,包括支付维护费和按要求续期。第一笔年金必须在许可或授予通知发出后六个月内支付。 从专利申请到注册平均需要三到五年的时间。 鉴于影响成本的可变条件,我们无法对成本发表意见。   6.2. 加快专利审查 有没有加快专利审查的程序? 印度尼西亚共和国法律和人权部下属的印度尼西亚共和国知识产权总局制定了加快专利申请审查的各种程序。根据这些程序,如果申请人通过 ASPEC 计划、印度尼西亚-日本专利审查高速路(PPH)计划提交以下特殊请求,或者仅仅通过向审查员提供其他专利局(如:USPTO、JPO、EPO 等)批准的相应权利要求,DGIP 将不按顺序推进申请的受理进度,以加快审查。   1. ASPEC 东盟专利审查合作计划(ASPEC)是一个涉及九个东南亚国家联盟(ASEAN)成员国的区域性专利工作共享计划。该计划允许各参与专利局共享检索和审查结果,以帮助申请人更快、更有效地获得相应的专利。ASPEC 旨在减少重复性的检索和审查工作,并产生高质量的审查报告。通过从参与的专利局获得其他国家的审查结果,申请人可以加快审查进程,只要相应的权利要求相同。 在提出 ASPEC 请求时,专利申请人需要向第二专利局提交 ASPEC 请求表格。ASPEC 申请表格须附有下列文件: 第一知识产权局的检索与审查 (S&E) 报告或相应申请的审查报告(“最低限度文件”)副本;和 提交的最低限度文件中提及的权利要求的副本,其中至少有一项权利要求被第一知识产权局认定为允许或可授予专利。 对于 PCT ASPEC 请求,专利申请人必须在 ASPEC 表格中表明其请求是针对 PCT ASPEC 的。在提交填写后的 ASPEC 申请表格时须附有下列文件:   ASEAN 国际检索机构或国际初步审查机构(ASEAN ISA/IPEA) 就第一知识产权局的相应申请提出的书面意见或国际初步审查报告(WO/ISA, WO/IPEA 或 IPER)的副本(“最低限度文件”);和   提交的最低限度文件中提及的权利主张的副本,其中至少有一项权利主张被第一知识产权局认定为允许或可授予专利。 只有在申请完成公布阶段后,才可申请使用 ASPEC。根据我们的经验,从提交 ASPEC 请求到发布授予专利的决定所需的时间不会超过 12 个月,与印度尼西亚非 ASPEC(或 PPH)专利申请的受理时间相比,在交付或待审时间方面是一个巨大的进步。   2. 日本-印度尼西亚专利审查高速路计划(印尼-日本 PPH) 日本专利局(JPO)和 DGIP 于 2013 年 6 月 1 日启动了专利审查高速路计划(PPH),从那时起,许多之前在日本提交基础申请的申请人选择 PPH 作为加快在印度尼西亚通过专利申请的方法。PPH 请求可随时提交,但需在请求实质审查阶段的截止日期之前。申请 PPH 加速计划将产生 500 万卢比的官方手续费用. 对于要求时,DGIP 将要求申请人提供以下文件,以开始加快审查过程:   申请人已提交的申请所需的所有手续文件,DGIP 将发出手续文件完成通知,该通知也应由申请人发出;   提交实质审查请求的付款证明;   申请已过 6 个月的公示期;   PPH 表格(已填写);   相应的权利要求应等于或少于 JPO 授予的权利要求;   OEE 和 OLE 审查结果;和   英语和/或印尼语版本的 OEE/OLE。 根据我们的经验,从提交 ASPEC 请求到发布授予专利的决定所需的时间不会超过 7-12 个月,与印度尼西亚非 ASPEC(或 PPH)专利申请的受理时间相比,在交付或待审时间方面是一个巨大的进步。   3. 提供相应的注册权利要求 如果上述选项都不适用于您,您还可以向专利局的审查员提供其他知名专利局(如:USPTO、UKIP、EP、AUIPO、SIPO、JPO 等)批准的权利要求。上述专利局批准的相应权利要求,将使审查员更容易加快审查进度。 相关文件应附带等效的英文翻译件。   6.3. 专利申请内容 专利申请中必须披露或描述发明的哪些内容?在决定申请内容时,是否应该遵循任何特定的指导方针或避免任何陷阱? 专利申请至少应当包括申请日期、发明人姓名、完整地址和国籍、申请人姓名、完整地址和国籍(如果申请人不是法人实体)、申请人名称和完整地址(如果申请人是法人实体)、授权代表的姓名和完整地址(如果通过授权代表提出申请)、以及首次受理申请的国家名称和首次受理日期(如有优先权)。 此外,申请亦须附上下列资料: 发明名称; 发明说明; 发明的一项或者多项权利要求; 发明摘要; 说明书中提及的对发明加以说明的附图,如申请附有附图; 通过律师或代理人提出申请的,须提交授权委托书; 发明人对发明的所有权声明; 由发明人以外的人提出申请的,发明的所有权转让文书;和 如果申请涉及微生物,提供微生物形成的证明(参见 2018 年法律和人权部长关于专利申请的第 38 号条例第 5 条)。 任何非印度尼西亚申请人必须委托注册的知识产权律师或代理人才能在印度尼西亚提交申请。   6.4. 现有技术披露义务 发明人必须向专利局审查员披露现有技术吗? 《专利法》没有规定申请人必须向审查员披露现有技术。   6.5. 追加额外的权利要求 专利申请人是否可以提交一份或多份后续申请,以对其先前提交的申请中披露的发明追加额外权利要求?如可行,适用的要求或限制是什么? 补充申请或者分案申请,依照《专利法》第 38 条的规定办理。申请人可以向专利局提出变更或者分案申请。变更或者分案可以在专利批准决定作出之前提出。该规定允许单独提出分案申请,但每次申请的保护范围不得超过原申请主张的保护范围。分案申请必须符合某些要求,并须缴纳费用。该申请在与原申请相同的提交日期提出,额外的权利要求适用与原申请相同的规则。   6.6. 专利局上诉 是否有可能对专利局的不利决定向法院提出上诉? 上诉可以先向专利上诉委员会提出。如果对专利上诉委员会的决定仍然不服,申请人可以向商事法庭提起诉讼。   6.7. 对专利提出反对或异议 专利局是否提供反对授予专利的机制? 《专利法》允许任何第三方在专利授予之日起 9 个月内就已授予的专利向专利上诉委员会提出无效宣告。如果 9 个月的期限届满,只能通过向商事法庭提起诉讼来采取行动。   6.8. 发明优先权 专利局是否设有任何机制来解决同一发明的不同申请人之间的优先权争议? 哪些因素决定谁有优先权? 专利局在解决同一发明的优先权争议时,将确定哪一方较早享有优先权。如果专利局意外对优先权日较晚的同一发明授予专利权,优先权日较早的专利持有人可以在授予争议专利之日起 9 个月内向专利上诉委员会上诉。   6.9. 专利的修改和复审 专利局是否规定了修改、复审或撤销专利的程序?法院可以在诉讼期间修改专利权利要求书吗? 《专利法》允许自授于专利之日起不迟于三个月提出授权后的修改。但是,修改内容仅限于对说明书、权利要求或图形的更正。更正仅限于限制权利要求范围、纠正误译和对模糊描述的澄清(参见《专利法》第 69 条)。   6.10. 专利期限 专利保护期如何确定? 对于常规专利,保护期限为 20 年,自在印度尼西亚提出申请起算;对于简单专利,保护期限为 10 年,自在印度尼西亚提出申请起算。   如需了解更多信息,请通过微信 AFFAIPR 或发送电子邮件至 [email protected] 与我们联系。

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Indonesian Discord Users Could Face 1 Billion Rupiah Fine for Streaming Anime Illegally

“Every person who unlawfully and/or without permission of the Author or Copyright holder distributes Works or their copies for Commercial Use shall be sentenced to imprisonment for up to 4 years and/or fine up to Rp 1,000,000,000.00!”   As connoisseurs of the entertainment industry, whether in music, feature films, or animated series, we certainly understand that all forms of entertainment are works protected by Copyright.   Article 3 of Law No. 28 of 2014 concerning Copyright states that Works mean any scientific, artistic, and literary works resulted from inspiration, ability, thought, imagination, dexterity, skill or expertise expressed in a tangible form.   Furthermore, Article 4 of the Indonesian Copyright Law states that Copyright Holder means an Author as the Copyright owner, the party acquiring a lawful right from the Author, or other parties who acquire subsequent rights from the party such acquiring lawful rights.   Suppose other parties wish to use the Work, they must obtain written permission from the Copyright Holder or Related Rights Owner in the form of a License Agreement, which may include details of the distribution of Royalty as compensation for using the Work. In other words, if there is no license agreement moreover and there is an attempt to take advantage of a work without permission, it can be said that there has been a Copyright Infringement.   What is meant by taking advantage of this can be something other than a paid activity. For example, as has recently been done by several influencers who want to take advantage of the hype of anime “One Piece” to increase their followers on the Discord platform. They openly hold a viewing event in their group, also promoted on their social media accounts. Even though it is not paid, the watching together event can be considered Copyright Infringement.   Because watching together activities via unauthorized streaming activities on an authorized platform, if carried out without permission, has violated the exclusive rights of the Author or Copyright Holder to obtain economic benefits for their work. One of them is the distribution of Works or their copies, as stipulated in Article 9 Paragraph (1) letter e of the Copyright Law, with the threat of punishment as stated in the first paragraph of this article.   Apart from illegal distribution activities for unauthorized watching events, the Discord application itself has provided strict rules:   “You may not use Discord to stream, upload, or share any content that infringes on the copyrights or other Intellectual Property rights of others. This includes, but is not limited to, streaming movies, TV shows, music, or other copyrighted content without the permission of the copyright holder.”   The rules regarding Copyright on Discord can be accessed via https://discord.com/terms, and each violator can receive the following sanctions: Having your account suspended or terminated Being sued by the copyright holder for copyright infringement Having to pay damages to the copyright holder   Suppose we specifically discuss the latest One Piece episodes that are currently being talked about. In that case, we can watch them for free and legally in Indonesia via the iQIYI and Bstation/Bilibili platforms, complete with Indonesian subtitles. However, if you want to watch it with a higher image resolution, the Bstation platform provides a Premium (paid) option. Remember, whether it’s free or paid, whatever shows we get on the platform, we have no right to distribute or broadcast them again without permission. As regulated in the following Bstation/Bilibili User Agreement:   “Unless otherwise authorized by Bstation/Bilibili in writing, you shall not (and shall not allow, encourage or facilitate any third party to) modify, copy, adapt, maliciously spread, lease, lend, sell or translate the Services or any part thereof, or create derivative works related to them, and shall not obtain their source code through reverse engineering, decompilation, disassembly or other similar acts..”   Furthermore, suppose it is proven that there has been a violation of the law and user agreement. In that case, Bstation has the right to suspend or stop providing part or all of the services to you unilaterally without notice and would like to ask you to compensate for any losses to the extent permitted by law.   Thus, it can be concluded that the activity of watching together (via illegal, unauthorized streaming) on legal platforms whose sources come from legal platforms has become illegal if done without permission. Apart from exposing you to imprisonment for up to four years and/or a maximum fine of one billion Rupiah, you will also lose all access to the accounts you have worked so hard to build.   This illegal watching together activity (on any platform) is no different from moviegoers who are still legally illiterate, and recording or distributing it live via Instagram is an act against the law.   If you have committed a Copyright Infringement or need further consultation regarding organizing a legal watching together activity according to Copyright Law in Indonesia, please don’t hesitate to contact us via [email protected].

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3 Proven Methods to Accelerate the Patent Examination Process in Indonesia

The Directorate General of Intellectual Property of the Republic of Indonesia under the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia (from now on referred to as “DGIP”) has established various procedures under which the examination of a Patent application may be accelerated. Under these procedures, DGIP will advance an application out of turn for faster examination if the applicant files the following special requests through the ASPEC program, Indonesia-Japan PPH program, or simply by providing the examiner in charge the granted corresponding claims from other Patent Offices, such as the USPTO, JPO, EPO, and others.   We herewith summarize the options that may suit your needs, depending on where you file your Patent applications in other jurisdictions:   1. ASEAN Patent Examination Co-operation (ASPEC) The ASPEC was launched on 15 June 2009. The first regional Patent work-sharing program involves nine participating ASEAN Member States (AMS) IP Offices of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The program aims to accelerate the patent examination process by encouraging each participating Patent Offices to share search and examination results to allow applicants in the participating countries to obtain corresponding patents faster and more efficiently. Since ASPEC aims to reduce duplication in the search and examination work done, it is hoped that the search and examination work done on a corresponding application can be used as a helpful reference in producing high-quality examination reports. Hence, if you can obtain the examination results from other countries in the participating Patent Offices, the examination results or reports can be used as the basis of examination acceleration as long as the corresponding claims are the same. When requesting ASPEC, the Patent applicant is required to submit an ASPEC Request Form to the second Patent Office. The following documents shall accompany the ASPEC Request Form: A copy of the Search and Examination (S&E) report or the Examination Report (“minimum documents”) of a corresponding application from the first IP Office; and A copy of the claims referred to in the minimum documents submitted, with at least one claim determined by the first IP Office to be allowable/patentable. or a PCT ASPEC request, the Patent applicant must indicate that the request is for PCT ASPEC in the ASPEC form. The completed ASPEC request form shall be submitted together with the following documents: A copy of the written opinion/international preliminary examination report (“WO/ISA, WO/IPEA or IPER”) established by an ASEAN International Searching Authority/International Preliminary Examining Authority (ASEAN ISA/IPEA) (“minimum documents”) relating to a corresponding application from the first IP Office; and A copy of the claims referred to in the minimum documents submitted, with at least one claim determined by the first IP Office to be allowable/patentable. Please remember that the request to utilize ASPEC can only be made after the application has finished the publication stage. Based on our experience, the time it takes from filing the ASPEC request until the issuance of the decision to grant will not be more than 12 months – a significant improvement in lead or pendency times compared to the processing time for non-ASPEC patent applications in Indonesia.   2. Indonesia-Japan Patent Prosecution Highway (Indonesia-Japan PPH) The Japan Patent Office (JPO) and the DGIP initiated a Patent Prosecution Highway Program (PPH) on June 1, 2013. Since then, the PPH has been chosen by many applicants who have previously filed their base applications in Japan to accelerate the Patent applications in Indonesia. The PPH request can be filed at any time as long as it is before the deadline to request the substantive examination stage. Please note that an official fee of Rp 5,000,000.00 will be incurred for requesting the PPH acceleration program. When it comes to the requirements, the DGIP will require the applicant to provide the following documents to start the accelerated examination process: All formality documents required to file the application have been submitted and the DGIP will issue the notice of formality documents completion, which should also be provided by the applicant; Proof of payment to file a substantive examination request; The application should have passed the Publication of Period of 6 months; PPH Form (filled in); Corresponding claims which should be equivalent or less compared to the claims granted by the JPO; OEE and OLE examination results; and OEE/OLE in English and/or in the Indonesian language. Based on our experience, the time it takes from filing the PPH request until the issuance of the decision to grant will not be more than 7 to 12 months – a significant improvement in lead or pendency times compared to the processing time for non-ASPEC (or PPH) Patent applications in Indonesia.   3. Providing Corresponding Registered Claims from Other Patent Offices In case none of the options above apply to you, you may also provide the examiners at the DGIP with the corresponding granted claims from other well-established Patent Offices, such as the USPTO, UKIP, EP, AUIPO, SIPO, JPO, etc. The provision of the corresponding granted claims from the aforementioned Patent Offices will make it easier for the examiners at the DGIP to expedite the examination. Please note that the documents should be provided with the equivalent English translation to make it easier for the decision making process by the examiners.   For any questions about Patent applications in Indonesia, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected].

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Brushstrokes & Trademarks Indonesia’s Copyright Quirk

Article 65 of the Indonesian Copyright Law crafts a vibrant patchwork in the legal tapestry of intellectual property rights. It explicitly prohibits the registration of a work of art, specifically a painting, as a copyright when it is used as a logo or distinguishing mark for a trade of goods or services or represents a symbol for an organization, business entity, or legal entity. This law paints a clear boundary line in the diverse field of intellectual property rights, where copyrights and trademarks often play tug-of-war.   However, an intriguing paradox has emerged in practice. Many parties try to draw double protection by registering the exact artistic representation as both a Trademark and Copyright – in other words, trying to overdo it by “double kill.” This practice takes advantage of a perceived grey area between the two distinct protections, aiming to arm the creator with an extra layer of legal armor. By doing so, they attempt to circumvent the spirit of Article 65, setting up a fascinating legal conundrum and an escalating tug-of-war between the copyright and trademark protection regimes in Indonesia.   In the past, there have been some warnings by the Indonesian Copyright Office to unilaterally withdraw the recorded copyrights if they are found to have breached Article 65 of the Copyright Law. A solution to this discrepancy lies in tightening the enforcement by the Indonesian IP Office, ensuring that the lines dividing trademarks and copyrights remain as sharp and clear as the brushstrokes of a master artist. Thus, Article 65 of the Indonesian Copyright Law continues to challenge the art and business words, forcing them to think outside the frame without doubling down on the protection for the same object illegally.   Should you have any questions about Copyright Recordation in Indonesia or abroad, please get in touch with us via [email protected].

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AFFA IPR: Your Source for Indonesia’s Patent Protection Guide Available on Lexology

We are excited to announce that AFFA Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) has contributed to Lexology, showcasing our commitment to excellence and knowledge sharing. Check out our latest article, “Patent Protection Guide in Indonesia – Getting the Deal Through.”   Lexology is a premier legal news and analysis website, delivering international legal updates, insights, and analysis. With over 450 articles published daily from over 800 top law firms and service providers worldwide, it’s a trusted source for legal professionals and decision-makers.   At AFFA IPR, we recognize the significance of being associated with Lexology. As one of the leading sources of legal insights, the platform provides valuable, up-to-date information to a global audience. By sharing our expertise, we aim to contribute meaningfully to the legal discourse and offer valuable insights to our peers and clients.   Stay updated with the latest developments and insights by following our page on Lexology. Engage with our content, leave comments, and share your thoughts as we foster an open dialogue and collaborative learning environment. For downloadable copies of our articles, reach out to [email protected]. Join us on Lexology as we continue to empower businesses with valuable Intellectual Property insights.

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Boom or Bust: The Risk of Patenting a Nuclear Weapon in Indonesia

Oppenheimer, a Christopher Nolan film, has been screened in Indonesia since July 19, 2023. IP practitioners, especially patent observers, must take advantage of this film. Apart from being studded with stars, starting from Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, and Kenneth Branagh to Robert Downey Jr., this film raises the ethical side of an invention that shook the world.   As the title suggests, this film exposed Julius Robert Oppenheimer‘s life as the Scientific Director of the Manhattan Project, which developed the first atomic bombs in the United States. After the success of the bomb ending World War II, Oppenheimer became a vocal critic of nuclear weapons. He saw firsthand the destructive power of these weapons and came to believe that they posed a severe threat to humanity. He also thought the patent system was inappropriate for controlling nuclear weapons and was known for not pursuing patents for his inventions. But for that vision, he was ostracized by the US government.   A new change came a few years later through the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, specifically Section 218. This act, also known as the Price-Anderson Act, was enacted in response to the development of nuclear energy and the need to regulate its use in the United States.   Section 218 of the US Atomic Energy Act states that no patent may be granted for any invention or discovery that is useful solely in utilizing unique nuclear material or atomic energy in an atomic weapon. Any invention or discovery specifically intended for creating or enhancing atomic bombs or other nuclear weapons cannot be granted a patent under this law.   The prohibition on patents for atomic weapons is part of the broader regulatory framework aimed at controlling and safeguarding nuclear technology and materials to prevent their misuse and proliferation. The law aims to ensure that nuclear technology is used for peaceful and controlled purposes, such as energy production and medical applications, rather than for weapons of mass destruction.   The Indonesian Context In Indonesia, if a Patent application is related to nuclear (weapons), then it is related to the interests of state defense and security as regulated in Article 50 of Law Number 13 of 2016 on Patents:   Article 50 (1) If an Invention relates to the interests of state defense and security, the Minister determines that the Application for the Invention is kept private after consulting with the agency administering government affairs in the state defense and security field.   (2) The Minister shall let the Applicant or his Proxy know in writing about the determination of the unannounced Application as referred to in section (1).   (3) Unannounced application documents consulted with government agencies, as referred to in section (1), are exempt from the provisions as referred to in Article 45 section (1).   (4) Government agencies, as referred to in section (1), must maintain the confidentiality of the Invention and Application documents consulted.   Thus, it can be concluded that the. Patents related to national security and defense (for example, nuclear weapons) can be protected. It is just that some provisions still prevent these applications from being published to the public in the publication stage for six months due to susceptible and sensitive information that should not be known by the public.   In addition, if the Patents are related to weapons, then by law the government can only implement them based on national defense and security considerations. This is regulated in Article 109 of the Patent Law. The implementation itself must be non-commercial and for domestic protection needs only. Article 110 of the Patent Law itself further explains the types of inventions that are “vulnerable” to the use of patents by the government unilaterally, including: firearms; ammo; military explosives; interception; tapping; reconnaissance; encryption devices and cipher analysis devices; and/or other state defense and security processes and/or equipment.   In Indonesia alone, there are around 139 patents related to nuclear technology that have been filed so far. However, this request is not directly related to nuclear weapons technology. Based on an accessible patent database, 51 applications were filed by applicants from Russia, 30 from the United States, and 23 from Indonesia. Should you have any questions about Patent Protection in Indonesia or abroad, please contact us at [email protected]. Source: LEMELSON-MIT BELFER CENTER Law No. 13 of 2016 on Patents (Patent Law)

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The Whitest Paint: Innovation for a Hot Planet

Scientists at Purdue University, Indiana, United States have developed a new white paint that could revolutionize the cooling industry. The paint, which is made from a combination of titanium dioxide, barium sulfate, and silica, can reflect sunlight more effectively than any other white paint on the market. This means that it can help to keep buildings cooler in hot weather, reducing the need for air conditioning.   The potential benefits of this new paint are enormous. In the United States alone, air conditioning accounts for about 15% of all electricity consumption. If this new paint could be widely adopted, it could help to reduce electricity demand and emissions significantly.     In addition to the environmental benefits, the new paint could also have significant economic implications. The cooling industry is worth billions of dollars, and this new paint could open up new markets for businesses that manufacture and sell paint.   The intellectual property implications of this new paint are also significant. Xiulin Ruan, a professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue University, and his students who developed the paint have filed for a new patent this July, and there will likely be a great deal of interest from other companies in licensing the technology.   The development of this new white paint is a breakthrough in the fight against climate change because it could be used in a variety of applications, including roofing, siding, insulation, or even cars. Intellectual property stakeholders should be paying close attention to this technology. Even though the patent application for the new paint is still pending, the scientists who developed the paint are likely to be granted a patent, which would give them exclusive rights to the technology.     The Culmination of Years of Research Back in 2020, Dr. Ruan and his students unveiled their creation: a type of white paint that can act as a reflector, bouncing 95 percent of the sun’s rays away from the Earth’s surface, up through the atmosphere, and into deep space. A few months later, they announced an even more potent formulation that increased sunlight reflection to 98 percent.     The paint’s properties are almost superheroic. It can make surfaces as much as eight degrees Fahrenheit cooler than ambient air temperatures at midday, and up to 19 degrees cooler at night, reducing temperatures inside buildings and decreasing air-conditioning needs by as much as 40 percent. “It is cool to the touch, even under a blazing sun,” Dr. Ruan said.    Unlike air-conditioners, the paint doesn’t need any energy to work, and it doesn’t warm the outside air. In 2021, Guinness declared it the whitest paint ever, and it’s since collected several awards. And in July 2023, they applied patent application for the lightweight version.   If you have some innovations that need to be protected in Indonesia, don’t hesitate to contact us via [email protected]. Source: New York Times

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Indonesia’s IP Odyssey: Tackling Counterfeiters on Indonesian E-Commerce Sites

According to the Priority Watch List (PWL) 2023 report, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) still places Indonesia, Argentina, Chile, India, Russia, China, and Venezuela on an investment blocklist because it is prone to piracy practices. In particular, the Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy 2022 report, also released by USTR, listed various Indonesian sites on the watch list.   Even though in October 2021, Indonesia’s five largest e-commerce companies, namely Tokopedia, Shopee, Lazada, Bukalapak, and Blibli, signed a law enforcement cooperation agreement in the field of Intellectual Property (IP) together with the Directorate General Intellectual Property, Criminal Investigation Agency, and the Directorate General of Customs and Excise. Their target then was clear: Indonesia was released from PWL 2022.   In fact, since 2018, Indonesia is still on this list. Specifically, USTR stated that U.S. rights holders continue to face challenges in Indonesia concerning adequate and effective IP protection and enforcement. There continues to be widespread piracy and counterfeiting, and concerns regarding IP enforcement remain, including lack of enforcement against counterfeit goods, and the lack of deterrent-level penalties for IP infringement in physical markets and online.   Furthermore, USTR provides lays out the current challenges faced by and improvements made by Indonesian e-commerce that are on the watch list.   Challenges In general, right holders note a high volume of counterfeit products, with some openly labeled “replicas” of branded products. Several e-commerce sites have established notice and takedown processes and have made several improvements to their anti-counterfeiting systems, but right holders continue to push for the sites to invest more significant resources into developing proactive anti-counterfeiting protocols, as well as into increasing the speed of takedowns and transparency of takedown procedures.  Right holders have also expressed frustration with several e-commerce sites’ “repeat infringer” policy, which states that sellers with more than three infringement reports submitted by the same brand are “eligible” to be taken down, instead of “will be” taken down. Right holders state that both the site’s “repeat infringer” policy and “major infringer” policy require brands to expend significant effort and resources to report infringement, and they urge the sites to instead use proactive measures like keyword filtering to allow for automated removal of counterfeit listings.   Progresses Made by E-Commerce Sites in Indonesia Despite the challenges, the aforementioned sites have ramped up their efforts in battling against the counterfeits. In 2022, Shopee launched a pilot program for its new brand protection portal and, with a newly hired global brand protection director, increased its engagement with right holders. Whereas Tokopedia launched its new  Intellectual Property portal to increase the ease and efficiency of submitting notices of infringement and tracking the progress of the resolution of the notices.  Additionally, right holders have noted that Tokopedia has invested resources in a seller education campaign and has implemented some new technologies to increase proactive monitoring of product postings, that could detect and remove counterfeit listings before they are shown to users. Tokopedia also introduced the “penalty points” system and repeat offender system to counter the evergrowing counterfeit demands and markets.     Reporting counterfeit goods helps to protect consumers and businesses from being harmed by these illegal products. It also helps to ensure that the e-commerce platforms are fair and safe for everyone to use. But as seen from the screenshot above, for us to report counterfeit products, there is already a limit that only the owner or their authorized representatives can report. In other words, complaints for listing takedown or removal of goods from e-commerce, from ordinary users who have nothing to do with the owner of the Trademark or Copyright cannot be continued. On the other hand, this policy prevents false reporting from disturbing users.   Then if you are indeed the right holders or official representative, what documents are needed for reporting and requesting the removal of goods from e-commerce?   Documents Required for Trademark Infringement Report Proof of Trademark ownership in the form of a Trademark; Certificate that has been registered and issued by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia, or similar documents; Recommended Retail Price (RRP) from Trademark Owner; This document is one of the economic evidence tools that can help e-commerce determine whether the listing to be taken down violates the Trademark. If the price of the goods sold in the listing is far below the RRP, then there is an indication that the product is counterfeit or that the seller is practicing price dumping. Proof of your legal identity; and Power of attorney from the Trademark holder/owner in accordance with the document proof of Trademark ownership that you have attached (if you are not the owner of the Trademark but are the beneficiary of the power of attorney from the Trademark owner to make a report). Documents Required for Copyright Infringement Report Proof of Copyright ownership in the form of a Copyright Recordation that has been registered and issued by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia, or similar documents; Proof of your legal identity; and Power of attorney from the Copyright holder/owner in accordance with the document proof of Copyright ownership that you have attached (if you are not the owner of the Copyright but are the beneficiary of the power of attorney from the Copyright owner to make a report).   According to our experience, the average takedown listing request that we submit is accommodated by e-commerce within 2-3 weeks.   If you need further assistance in the process of reporting counterfeit products or listing takedown in e-commerce sites in Indonesia, don’t hesitate to contact us via [email protected]. Sources: 2022 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy Priority Watch List 2023 Tokopedia IP Report Directorate General Intellectual Property

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How to Upcycle Without Violating Trademark Law

Upcycling is the process of transforming waste materials into new products of higher quality or value. This trend has been growing in popularity in recent years, and it is now estimated that resale could account for 20% of a luxury company’s revenue by 2030.   According to Vogue magazine, upcycling was the biggest fashion trend of spring/summer 2021. As of June 2023, the hashtag #upcycle has over 6.2 million posts on Instagram alone.   For brand and trademark owners, upcycling can raise legal concerns. For example, if a company uses a trademarked brand name on an upcycled product without the permission of the trademark owner, this could be considered Trademark Infringement.     However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, in the United States, trademark owners cannot prevent the use of their trademarks on upcycled products if the use is “noncommercial and non-confusing.” This means that the use of the trademark cannot be used to sell the product or to imply that the product is endorsed by the trademark owner.   In addition, trademark owners may be able to prevent the use of their trademarks on upcycled products if the use is likely to dilute the trademark. Dilution occurs when the use of a trademark weakens the distinctiveness or reputation of the trademark.   Overall, the legal implications of upcycling for brand and trademark owners are complex. However, by understanding the law, trademark owners can protect their brands and trademarks while still supporting the upcycling movement.   Should you have any questions about Trademark Infringement in Indonesia, please contact us at [email protected]. Source ipwatchdog.com

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Procrastination’s Price: The Costly Consequence of Late Trademark Renewal in Indonesia

In accordance with the Law No. 20 Year 2016 on Trademark and Geographical Indications (the Trademark Law), a Trademark owner may renew its registered Trademark within 6 months before the due date – which is calculated from 10 years from the date of application. Before the enactment of the current Trademark Law, a registered Trademark would be automatically removed from the register if the owner forgot to renew it. The only option to “revive” the Trademark back then would be to refile a new application. However, as we all are aware, in the riveting realm of intellectual property law, time is not just money – it is the undisputed king, and deadlines are not mere suggestions, they are royal commands.   While meeting renewal deadlines is of utmost importance, but what unfolds when a Trademark owner takes a memory misstep and lets the renewal lapse into the abyss of forgetfulness? Well, it is not the end of the world – the Trademark owner just has to pay more official fees – more or less double – to keep the Trademark alive. This is regulated by the Trademark Law where it allows a Trademark to still be renewed even after the deadline has passed. However, the grace period is only limited to 6 months after the deadline. Please note that it is technically impossible to renew the Trademark after the grace period has lapsed. Refiling the Trademark is the only feasible option.   When is the earliest time a Trademark can be renewed? A registered Trademark can be renewed within 6 months before the deadline.    Requirements Please note that in order to file a Trademark renewal, a Trademark owner should submit a Statement of Use of Mark. No active evidence of use will need to be submitted to the Trademark Office. All foreign Trademark owners should appoint a legal proxy to renew a registered Trademark. Therefore, a power of attorney will also need to be signed and submitted as well.   Timeline Upon the submission of a renewal application, the Trademark Office will issue a renewal application receipt. Please also note that unlike in the past, the Trademark renewal notification/certificate is issued within a day.   Should you have any questions about Trademark renewal in Indonesia, please contact us at [email protected].