A-Comprehensive-Trademark-Registration-Guide-for-Indonesian-Companies-in-Thailand-affa

A Comprehensive Trademark Registration Guide for Indonesian Companies in Thailand

Intellectual Property

Thailand is a crucial partner for Indonesian businesses, with bilateral trade between the two nations exceeding $18 billion in 2020. As the second-largest economy in Southeast Asia, Thailand offers Indonesian companies access to a sizable consumer market of over 69 million people. Its strategic location within the ASEAN region provides a gateway for Indonesian exports, making Thailand a pivotal trade partner.   Moreover, Thailand’s investor-friendly policies have attracted over 600 Indonesian companies, highlighting its appeal as a destination for Indonesian investments. This economic synergy, along with trade agreements and a well-established infrastructure, underscores Thailand’s significance for Indonesian businesses aiming to expand their reach in Southeast Asia and beyond.   Why Register Your Trademark in Thailand? Registering a Trademark is one of the first things to be done to establish effective protection in Thailand or internationally. An unregistered sign, logo, or name will not receive the same rights and status as a registered mark. Since Thailand adopted a first-to-file Trademark system, a Trademark may be at risk of being taken by other competitors if not registered in time.   Trademark According to Trademark Act B.E. 2534 in Thailand A Trademark is a mark that identifies the origin of the goods or services and can be distinguished from other Trademark owners. The mark may be a name, drawing, logo, word, letter, combination of colors, or a combination of several of these elements.   A Trademark is a mark used for a product and it is an indication that the product with such a Trademark is different from products of other Trademarks. A Service Trademark is a mark used for a service and is an indication the service with such a service mark is different from services of other service marks. A Certificate Mark is a mark used by the owner to certify the origin, composition, method of production or characteristics of the goods or services of another person. A Collective Mark is a Trademark or service mark used by companies or enterprises of the same group or by members of an association, cooperative, union, state, or private organization.   Trademarks consisting of certain characteristics are forbidden under the Trademark Act. These characteristics include: Any mark contrary to public order, moral, or public policy; Marks that are identical to marks prescribed by Ministerial notifications; National flags or emblems of Thailand, royal standard flags, national flags and emblems of foreign states or international organizations; Royal names or monograms; or Marks that are similar to medals, diplomas, or certificates issued by the Thai government or Thai government agency.   How do you register a Trademark in Thailand? Trademarks are registered with the Department of Intellectual Property (DIP). Applicants must have a fixed address in Thailand. Non-residents can only register by appointing a legal representative with a fixed address in Thailand.   Filing an Application An application must be submitted to DIP. The registrar will notify the applicant or its representative of the result of the Trademark Examination within 12 to 18 months. If the application is deemed by the registrar to be registerable, the Trademark will be published for a 60-day period to make sure there is no third-party opposition. If the registrar deems the Trademark unregistrable, a rejection notification will be provided along with a reason for the basis of that rejection.   Trademark Application Timeline The entire process takes about 1 year from the date of filing to obtaining the certificate, presuming there is no office action or request for amendment of the application. However, the Trademark protection period begins on the days of submission of the application for 10 years and may be renewed.   Priority Claim A priority claim is when an application is filed for the first time in one country, and the applicant would like to retain a right of priority to the date of first filing applications for other countries. To claim priority, an application must be filed in Thailand within 6 months from the first foreign filing date (priority date).   Required Documents for Priority Claim The original certified copy of the foreign application (issued by the foreign Trademark Office); The statement asserts that the former application has not been abandoned or withdrawn (original required).    A priority claim application must be submitted in Thai language at the time of the filing. Late filing of these documents is possible upon request, and 60 days from the date of filing is allowed for late submission of documents.   Renewals A registered Trademark may be renewed. A request for renewal can be filed 3 months before the expiration date of that Trademark. Late renewal is possible within the 6 months from the expiration date. The late renewal period of 6 months is also known as the grace period, and a penalty of 20% of the official fees must be paid.   Fast-Track Applications Thailand Department of Intellectual Property introduced a new fast-track system for Trademark renewals and registration while the official fees remain the same. Fast-Track Renewal can be shortened from 60 days to 60 minutes, applicable for renewal requests for Trademarks of no more than 30 items of goods and services, and under the condition that there are no changes to those items. For Fast-Track Registration, the Trademark Examination period can be shortened from around 12 months to around 6 months. Two conditions must be fulfilled to accelerate Trademark examination under this system: The application is filed for no more than 10 items of goods and services and the items must be obtained from DIP’s list.  The application must not be amended after filing.   Trademark Assignment Assigning or inheriting a Trademark must be registered with the registrar of the DIP. It may be an assignment of a Trademark Application or a Registered Trademark, or an assignment of specific classes or items.   Required Documents for Trademark Assignment Copy of the assignor and assignee’s national ID card or other ID card issued by a governmental agency. Copy of the assignor and assignee’s passport in case of a…

特许人在印度尼西亚开展业务前应满足的7个条件-affa

特许人在印度尼西亚开展业务前应满足的7个条件

Intellectual Property

知识产权在特许经营业务中发挥着重要作用，在印度尼西亚，特许经营称为 “Waralaba”。“该特许经营商标注册了吗？”这个问题对授予特许者（特许人）非常重要，它是检验商标有效性的首要问题。   从投资者（加盟商）的角度来看，在印尼经营特许经营业务似乎很有前景。因为我们得到了快速投资回报率的“自动经营” 业务的承诺！   只需投入一些资金，收入就会源源不断，这归功于我们获得的特许经营权。 特许经营的提议如雨后春笋般涌现，在各种特许经营展览会上，很容易就能找到诱人的商业提案，包括由知名艺术家支持的新公司的提案。   但要考虑的是，我们所关注的公司所提供的业务值得称为特许经营吗？   假冒特许经营商会有什么法律后果吗？   特许经营的定义 根据《印度尼西亚共和国政府条例》（2007 年第 42 号，关于特许经营）第 1 条和《印度尼西亚共和国贸易部长条例》（2019 年第 71 号，关于实施特许经营）第 1 条，特许经营是指个人或企业实体对具有商业特征的商业系统所拥有的特殊权利，目的是销售成功的商品和/或服务，其他各方可根据特许经营协议利用和/或使用这些商品和/或服务。   特许经营必须满足的 7 项标准 《政府条例》第 3 条 2017年底42号关于特许经营以及《贸易部长条例》第 10 条 2019年第71号关于实施特许经营规定了具有特许经营概念的企业必须满足的明确标准，具体如下：   1.      具有商业特色 鲜明特点的企业，是指与其他同类企业相比，具有不易被模仿的优势或差异，并使消费者青睐这些特点的企业。例如，特许经营人（特许人）特有的管理系统、销售和服务方法，或结构或分销方法。 2.      盈利证明 该证明指特许人在经营过程中积累大约 5 年的经验，并掌握了克服困难的经营诀窍，从而实现继续生存和发展，并实现盈利。   3.      以书面形式制定所提供商品和/或服务的服务标准 这项规定要求特许经营公司制定 SOP（Standard Operational Procedure标准操作程序），以便加盟商在统一框架内开展业务。 因此，若不具备 SOP，就不能称之为特许经营。   4.      易于教学和应用 特许经营业务的好处在于，没有类似业务经验或知识的加盟商可以根据特许人提供的持续经营和管理指导很好地开展业务   5.      持续支持 此外，特许人不应袖手旁观，因为它有义务不断向加盟商提供经营指导、培训和宣传。   6.      已注册的知识产权 确保您审查的特许经营公司已注册与业务相关的知识产权，如商标、版权、专利和商业秘密，并提供证书所有权证明，或正在授权机构进行注册，具体指印度尼西亚共和国法律和人权部知识产权总局（DJKI）。   7.      拥有STPW（特许经营注册证书） 《贸易部长条例》第 10 条第 71号2019年要求特许人机加盟商拥有 STPW。 要获得本STPW，特许人必须有特许经营招股说明书，否则特许人加盟商之间不得签订特许经营协议。 注意，若将来特许人的知识产权（IPR）注册未获批准或过期，STPW 将失效。   因此，鉴于知识产权在特许经营业务中的重要性，必须一开始就提出“您的企业是否已在知识产权总局（DJKI）注册商标？”的问题。   在辨别假冒特许经营权时，注意以下一些重要事项：   真正的特许经营不会承诺自动经营 印度尼西亚特许经营协会（AFI）主席阿南–苏坎达尔（Anang Sukandar）在组织国际特许经营展览会时警告说：“我们不应被敷衍了事的方法所迷惑。在生意场上，不会自动经营。自动驾驶只存在于航空领域，在商业领域不存在。” 因此，千万不要以为特许经营企业就像投资黄金一样，不按照经营流程就能持续上涨。 因为你可能被当作猎物，这样特许人就可以在将来亏损时逃脱惩罚。 例如，说明你所处的位置并不有利。   印度尼西亚特许经营支持国内生产 不要被以销售进口原材料为主要吸引力的特许经营店所诱惑。 因为《特许经营条例》第 9 条规定，只要符合特许人书面规定的商品和/或服务质量标准，特许人和加盟商应优先使用国产商品和/或服务。                                                                                                     通过更好地了解特许经营业务的复杂性，在选择特许经营业务时就会更多选项。 看似非常诱人的商业提议可能只是合伙提议，并不符合印度尼西亚共和国政府的《特许经营条例》。   注意，使用不符合上述标准的 “特许经营 “可能会受到行政处罚，应根据法律法规的规定，推荐发证官员吊销营业执照和/或经营/商业执照。 换句话说，您付出的巨额投资最终可能会亏损，不是因为缺少买家，而是因为忽略了对特许经营强制要求的检测。   如需更多有关印度尼西亚或全球特许经营的信息和帮助，请通过以下方式联系我们[email protected]. 来源： 政府条例 2007 年第 42 号关于特许经营 贸易部长条例 2019年第71号关于实施特许经营

7-Things-That-A-Real-Franchise-Should-Have-in-Indonesia-affa

7 Things That A Real Franchise Should Have in Indonesia

Intellectual Property

Intellectual Property Rights have an essential role in the Franchise business in Indonesia. The question “Does your Franchise already register your Trademark?” becomes very relevant to test its legitimacy as an initial question to the Franchisor.   Running a Franchise business in Indonesia, from an investor’s point of view or as a Franchisee, at first glance, looks promising because we are promised an “auto-pilot” business with a quick return on investment!   Without a million-dollar investment, you will have continuous cash flow in returns with the help of the big name of the Franchise that we take. Franchise offers are increasing, including at various Franchise exhibitions. We can easily find lucrative business proposals from new companies with well-known artists behind them.   However, we need to pay attention to whether the business offered by the companies we aim for is worthy of being called a Franchise.   Are there any legal consequences for fake Franchise businesses?   Definition of Franchise in Indonesia According to Article 1 of the Government Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia Number 42 of 2007 concerning Franchising and Regulation of the Minister of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia Number 71 of 2019 concerning the Implementation of Franchising, what is meant by Franchising is a Special Right owned by an individual or business entity towards a business system with business characteristics, to market goods and/or services that HAVE PROVEN SUCCESS and can be utilized and/or used by other parties based on the Franchise Agreement.   7 Criteria that Franchisees Must Fulfill Article 3 Government Regulation No. 42 of 2007 concerning Franchising and Article 10 of the Minister of Trade Regulation No. 71 of 2019 concerning the Implementation of Franchises provides clear criteria regarding things that must be fulfilled by businesses that use the Franchise concept, as follows:   1.      Has Distinctive Business Characteristics Businesses with distinctive characteristics have advantages or differences that are not easily imitated compared to similar companies, making consumers always look for those characteristics. For example, the Franchisor’s unique characteristics are management systems, sales and service methods, or arrangement or distribution methods.   2.      Proven to Provide Benefits This evidence refers to the experience of the Franchisor, who has been running for approximately 5 (five) years. It already has business tips for overcoming problems in its business so that it can continue to survive, grow, and be profitable. 3.      Has Service Standards for the Goods and/or Services Offered which are Made in Writing This rule requires a Franchise to have a certain Standard Operational Procedure (SOP) so that the Franchisee can carry out business within a clear and the same framework. Therefore, it is only a Franchise if it is equipped with SOP. 4.      Easy to Teach and Apply The pleasant thing about the Franchise business is that Franchisees who do not have experience or knowledge of similar businesses can carry it out well through the Franchisor’s continuous operational and management guidance. 5.      Provide Continuous Support Apart from point number four, the Franchisor must be very helpful because it must continuously provide operational guidance, training, and promotions to the Franchisee. 6.      Registered Intellectual Property Rights Make sure that the Franchise you are seeking has registered Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) related to the business, such as Trademarks, Copyrights, Patents, or Trade Secrets, with proof of certificate ownership or is in the process of registering with the authorized agency in this case, the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP), Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia. 7.      Has an STPW (Franchise Registration Certificate) Article 10 Regulation of the Minister of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia No. 71 of 2019 requires Franchisors and Franchisees to have STPW. To obtain this STPW, the Franchisor must have a Franchise Offer Prospectus, because without it a Franchise Agreement cannot be made between the Franchisor and the Franchisee.   It should also be noted that the STPW is declared invalid if in the future the registration of IPR (eg. Trademark) by the Franchisor is not approved or the validity period of the IPR expires.   Therefore, given the importance of Intellectual Property in a Franchise business, the question “Does your Franchise already register your Trademark?” must be asked from the start.   Furthermore, some essential things that you should also pay attention to when sorting out fake Franchises are:   True Franchises Don’t Promise Auto-Pilot At the recent international Franchise exhibitions, Chairman of the Indonesian Franchise Association (AFI) Anang Sukandar warned, “We should not be lulled into instant ways. In business, you can’t have auto-pilot business. Auto-pilot only exists in the world of aviation, not in business.” So don’t ever think that a Franchise business is like investing in gold, which can continue to rise without following the business process. If your Franchisor is offered that way, perhaps you are being used as prey, and the Franchisor can be irresponsible when you lose money in the future, for example, by giving reasons that your location is not in a profitable area.   Indonesian Franchise Supports Domestic Production Take your time to be tempted by Franchises that sell imported raw materials as their main attraction. Article 9 of the Government Regulation concerning Franchising states that the Franchisor and the Franchisee prioritize using domestically produced goods and/or services as long as they meet the quality standards of goods and/or services stipulated in writing by the Franchisor.   By better understanding the ins and outs, you can be more selective in choosing a Franchise business. The business offer that looks very tempting could be just a partnership offer that does not follow the Republic of Indonesia Government Regulations on Franchising.   So that you know, the use of the term Franchise that does not meet the above criteria may be subject to administrative sanctions in the form of recommendations for revocation of business permits and/or operational/commercial permits to issuing officials according to the…

Similar-But-Not-The-Same-The-Difference-Between-Franchising-and-Licensing-in-Indonesia-affa-global

Similar But Not The Same – The Difference Between Franchising and Licensing in Indonesia

Intellectual Property3 Comments

Franchising and Licensing are two popular business models that allow businesses to expand their reach and grow their profits without investing heavily in new infrastructure or resources. However, there are some critical differences between the two models, both in terms of how they work and how they are regulated by Indonesian law.   In a Franchise arrangement, the Franchisor grants the Franchisee the right to use its Brand, Trademarks, Intellectual Property, and Business Model in return for a fee. The Franchisee is then responsible for operating the business by the Franchisor’s standards. In a Licensing arrangement, the Licensor grants the Licensee the right to use its Intellectual Property (e.g., Trademarks, Patents, Industrial Designs, and Copyrights) in exchange for a fee and for a certain period. The Licensee is then responsible for developing and marketing its own business using the licensed Intellectual Property.   The Indonesian government regulates franchises through the Government Regulation No. 42 of 2007. This regulation sets out the requirements for Franchisors and Franchisees, including registering the franchise with the Ministry of Trade. The law also establishes restrictions on franchise arrangements, such as the requirement for franchisors to provide franchisees with specific information about the franchise business.   The legal basis governing franchising and licensing also differs. Franchise activities are regulated through Government Regulation No. 42 of 2007, strengthened by the Minister of Trade Regulation No. 71 of 2019. This regulation regulates the requirements for Franchisors and Franchisees, including regulations governing the registration of franchises with the Ministry of Trade, as well as specific information about the franchise business that must be provided from the Franchisor to the Franchisee.   In addition to the two legal bases above, other legal grounds related to franchising arrangements are Law No. 5 of 1999, concerning the Prohibition of Monopolistic Practices and Unfair Business Competition; Law No. 40 of 2007, concerning Limited Liability Companies and Franchise Agreements that bind the party.   Meanwhile, licenses more closely related to Intellectual Property are governed by Government Regulation No. 36 of 2018 concerning the Recordation of Intellectual Property License Agreements, which are derivatives of Article 41 paragraph (1) of Law Number 20 of 2016 concerning Trademark and Geographical Indications.    Now let’s dive into the terms of Franchising and Licensing:   FRANCHISE REQUIREMENTS By law, to conduct a franchise business in Indonesia the Franchisor will need to obtain the Franchisor’s STPW (permit registration) and Commitment Registration to the Ministry of Trade by registering the Franchise proposal documents and agreement draft. The Franchisee will need to do the same thing to obtain Franchisee’s STPW permit and Commitment Registration.   Required documents for Registration of Prospectus (Franchisor’s permits) of the Offered Franchise (to be filed by the Franchisor, notarized, and attested by the Indonesian Embassy) are as follows: Power of Attorney  Application Letter (STPW) Details of Franchisor Identity Copy of the ID card of the Directors/Owners of the Franchisor Copy of Business License of the Franchisor History of Business of the Franchisor Organisation Structure of the Franchisor (from Board of Commissionaires, Shareholders, Directors, up to its operational level) Audited Financial Statements for the last 2 years Number of outlets owned by the Franchisor List of current Franchisee Rights and Obligations of the Franchisor and Franchisee List of Composition and numbers of franchised goods used by the Franchisee List of Composition of required manpower Trademark registration certificates in Indonesia or filing receipt of the Trademark application in Indonesia. Copy of Franchise Agreement.   After the prospectus (Franchisor’s permits) has been registered in the Ministry, the franchisor can begin the franchisee’s agreement. The franchisee must also register the signed agreement.   Required Documents for Registration of Franchise Agreement (to be filed by the Franchisee): Power of Attorney (by the Franchisee) Application letter made by  Franchisee on the Franchisee’s company letterhead. Copy of the Prospectus of the offered Franchise; Copy of Article of Association of Franchisee’s company Copy of the Business Licenses of the Franchisee; Copy of the ID card of the Directors/owners of the Franchisee Copy of the Franchise Agreement and its Indonesian translation; Copy of Certificate of trademark registration. Composition and numbers of the employees (foreign and local staff) Composition and numbers of franchised goods used by the Franchisee   The documents above must be translated into the Indonesian language.   LICENSE AGREEMENT RECORDATION REQUIREMENTS Required documents for recordal of Trademark license agreement: Executed License Agreement duly notarized by Notary Public in the relevant country Copy of the trademark registration certificate Power of Attorney (simply signed) Identity of the signors Deed of Incorporation of the parties (if any)   The followings have to be included in the license agreement: Place & Date of the letter signing Details of the parties including the address Object of trademark license (trademark registration no.) Terms of use (exclusive, non-exclusive, sub-licensable, or not) Duration Territory   For more information about IP License Agreement in Indonesia, you can read our previous articles here: Indonesia’s IP Odyssey: Unraveling the Ins and Outs of IP License Agreement Recordal   From the description above, if you already have a business with a proven and duplicable business model for at least two years, you can try running a franchise business as a Franchisor. On the other hand, if you want to start running a company from a proven business, you can become a Franchisee.   However, you can run a Licensing business if you are an IP owner who can provide freedom in IP management, including marketing strategies, as a Licensor. On the other hand, for those of you who have a lot of creative ideas to run a business from an IP you don’t own, you can apply for a license from the IP owner, and act as a Licensee. Should you require further information and assistance regarding Franchise & IP Licensing in Indonesia, please contact us at [email protected].   Source: Government Regulation No. 42 of 2007 concerning Franchising Minister of Trade Regulation No. 71 of 2019 concerning The Implementation of Franchise Law No. 20 of…

3-Proven-Methods-to-Accelerate-the-Patent-Examination-Process-in-Indonesia-affa-global

3 Proven Methods to Accelerate the Patent Examination Process in Indonesia

Patent, Intellectual Property

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].

Brushstrokes-Trademarks-Indonesias-Copyright-Quirk-affa

Brushstrokes & Trademarks Indonesia’s Copyright Quirk

Intellectual Property, Trademark

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].

AFFA-IPR-Your-Source-for-Indonesias-Patent-Protection-Guide-Available-on-Lexology-affa-global

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

Patent, Intellectual Property

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.

Boom-or-Bust-The-Risk-of-Patenting-a-Nuclear-Weapon-in-Indonesia-affa-global

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

Patent, Intellectual Property

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)

The-Whitest-Paint-Innovation-for-a-Hot-Planet-affa-global

The Whitest Paint: Innovation for a Hot Planet

Patent, Intellectual Property

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

Indonesias-IP-Odyssey-Tackling-Counterfeiters-on-Indonesian-E-Commerce-Sites-affa-global

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

Intellectual Property, Trademark2 Comments

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