November 21, 2024
KIPO held 10 bilateral meetings with overseas IP offices looking for enhanced cooperation
In July this year, Commissioner of Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) Wan Ki KIM met with his counterparts from ten IP offices holding bilateral meetings in Geneva, Switzerland on the occasion of the 65th WIPO General Assemblies. We are pleased to introduce the key achievements and outcomes of the meetings as follows:
with National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI), Brazil
KIPO and INPI signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Comprehensive Cooperation in the IP Field. Notably, the inclusion of the exchange of IP data as one cooperative activity in the Memorandum is anticipated to provide Korean applicants seeking the obtainment of IP rights in Brazil with better opportunities and resources to get a prior knowledge of registered rights in the country before putting it into action.
with Danish Patent and Trademark Office (DKPTO), Denmark
KIPO and DKPTO signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Comprehensive Cooperation in the Field of IP, with an aim to enhance bilateral cooperation in IP awareness, human resource development, examination, and others. The two offices also agreed to share knowledge and experience regarding carbon neutrality-related technologies.
with German Patent and Trade mark Office (DPMA), Germany
KIPO and DPMA agreed on the need to sign a memorandum of understanding on comprehensive cooperation between the two offices, and to take concrete steps at the working level in due course. Both sides also agreed to implement two effective cooperation programs: Examiner Exchange Program that is to share practices and knowledge in key technical areas such as automobile, information technology, semiconductor, etc., and Collaborative Search Program (CSP) that is to provide applicants with fast and high-quality examination services.
with Office of Controller General of Patent, Designs, and Trademarks (Office of CGPDTM), India
KIPO and Office of CGPDTM agreed in principle on the need to sign a memorandum of understanding on comprehensive cooperation and create a work plan, between the two offices, and take concrete steps at the working level in due course.
with European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), Europe
KIPO and EUIPO discussed the ways to implement the EU-ROK IP Action which covers cooperative activities to enhance public IP awareness, facilitate IP valuation, support IP enforcement, help small but promising enterprises, etc. Both agreed to send a Korean expert to the EUIPO with the mission of facilitating the implementation, by the end of 2024, and have working level discussions in due course.
with National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI), Argentina
KIPO and INPI agreed on the need to draft a memorandum of understanding on comprehensive cooperation and take concrete steps at the working level in due course.
In the meetings with IP Australia, Australia, Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), Canada, and National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI), France, KIPO discussed with its counterparts the need and ways to enhance bilateral cooperation on advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, information technology, and semiconductor. With the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of the United Kingdom, KIPO agreed to expand their bilateral cooperation on supporting small enterprises' IP-related activities.
Commissioner Kim said "The meetings with our key counterpart offices provided us a timely opportunity to have a constructive discussion on how to collectively respond to advanced technologies, create a user-friendly IP landscape, enhance the quality of examination services. KIPO, as a national office of the country with the world's fourth largest IP filing, will continue our efforts to share our good practices and insights, and cooperate with our valuable partner offices for the benefits of users and applicants in respective countries."