Opening Address by Guest-of-Honour Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Law at the 5th Global Forum on IP (GFIP) 2015

25 AUG 2015

25 Aug 2015 Posted in Speeches

H.E. Dr Cham Prasidh, Senior Minister, Minister for Industry and Handicraft, Cambodia

Dr Francis Gurry, Director-General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation

Mr Tran Viet Thanh, Deputy Minister and Director-General of the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam

Dr Stanley Lai, Chairman, Intellectual Property Office of Singapore

Distinguished speakers and guests

Ladies and gentlemen

  1. Introduction

  1. Good morning, and welcome to the 5th Global Forum on Intellectual Property.

  2. To our foreign guests, a very warm welcome to Singapore.

    1. Rising importance of Singapore's IP industry and the pathways to high value IP jobs

  3. A few weeks ago, five Singapore companies that have built strong and enduring brands were honoured with the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore’s SG50 Trade Mark Awards.

  4. IPOS recently surveyed the industries that use IP intensively and found that, from 2011 to 2013, IP intensive industries accounted for almost half of Singapore’s GDP. That is very significant. If you look at Singapore’s GDP, we are at S$397 billion. That is the fourth largest GDP in the whole of ASEAN after Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.

  5. These industries generated 1.3 million jobs, which was about 43% of total employment , in Singapore.

  6. Jobs in the IP intensive industries were also found to pay 29% more than jobs in other industries.

  7. In the US, IP intensive industries accounted for about 35% of GDP and 28% of employment.

  8. Jobs in these industries commanded a 42% premium over jobs in other industries.

  9. In the EU, the equivalent figures are 39% of GDP, 35% of employment and a 40% premium in pay.

  10. This is clearly the way the future is being shaped and I think we were right in taking the approach of supporting IP, protecting IP and making sure that people were confident about IP protection in Singapore, even though the easier approach might have been to not be so strict. We decided that we would have a strict IP regime and that we would enforce it and that was the way to encourage creativity and also encourage foreign investors to invest in Singapore, knowing that their IP is safe and creating an ecosystem that would be supportive of IP.

  11. Our numbers show that IP is a key driving force for the Singapore economy.

  12. We will continue to create more opportunities for all to participate in the exciting IP ecosystem.

    IP Technology Consultant Registry

  13. A key thrust of our IP Hub Master Plan is to build a globally competitive workforce. It will be equipped with specialised IP skill sets needed to meet the demand for IP services.

  14. Later this afternoon, IPOS and the Institution of Engineers Singapore will be launching a new IP Technology Consultant Registry.

  15. We will also give recognition to the first batch of certified IP Technology Consultants.

  16. The Government will invest S$1 million to groom and certify 500 professionals to provide IP technology advisory services in the next three years.

  17. These professionals will come from the engineering, science and technology fields.

    Capacity-building pathways

  18. For local technology companies seeking to develop and strengthen their IP capabilities, the Singapore Institute of Technology’s Enterprise & Innovation Hub is working with the IP Academy to offer training on creating value through IP.

    1. Singapore’s international opportunities as an IP Hub in Asia

    Business opportunities overseas

  19. The OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) expects Asia to account for more than 80% of the growth in global middle class spending in the next two decades.

  20. ASEAN is the 7th largest economic bloc in the world, with a GDP amounting to US$2.5 trillion (S$3.4 trillion) . Within five years, at current growth rates, that GDP will be US$4 trillion, not a small amount at all.

  21. It is also one of the fastest growing regions, growing at about 5% per year.

  22. All of this offers exciting opportunities to our companies.

    IP crucial for overseas expansion

  23. IP can help our companies seize these opportunities and achieve international breakthrough and success.

  24. Singaporean furniture retailer, Scanteak, for example, collaborated with award-winning design studio, OutofStock, to study contemporary living in dense cities like Tokyo.

  25. This led to the creation of their Prologue collection, which is functional, chic and optimises the use of space in homes.

  26. It has also given Scanteak a competitive edge to penetrate markets in Japan, Taiwan and Canada.

    Assisting companies to secure overseas IP protection

  27. We have created many avenues to help companies like Scanteak secure IP protection overseas.

  28. They can apply at IPOS for an international trade mark registration via the Madrid Protocol.

  29. They can also apply at IPOS for an international design registration under the Hague System.

  30. For patents, they can file an international application with IPOS under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

  31. In addition, from 1st September 2015, IPOS will perform the role of a PCT International Authority.

  32. Applicants can request that their international patent applications be examined by IPOS’ patent examiners.

  33. Patent applications overseas can also be speeded up.

  34. IPOS has agreements with over 30 IP offices to fast-track patent applications in their countries, for example under the Global Patent Prosecution Highway programme and the ASPEC programme in ASEAN.

  35. We also have an IP cooperation arrangement with Cambodia.

  36. This allows applicants to file patents and registered designs with IPOS and thereafter secure protection in Cambodia.

  37. We will continue to work with our ASEAN neighbours to make the IP systems in ASEAN easier to navigate.

  38. This afternoon’s seminar organised by the NUS Centre for Law & Business on IP Interoperability in ASEAN & Beyond will explore how ASEAN can further cooperate in this area.

    Opportunities for IP service providers too

  39. With Asia growing rapidly, there will also be demand for local IP service providers to support cross-border IP protection and commercialisation.

  40. This provides opportunities for our IP firms and law firms to go regional and global.

    1. Conclusion

  41. Singapore’s economy has come a long way in the last 50 years.

  42. IP has played a crucial role in this journey, and is likely to play an even more important role in the future.

  43. I look forward to more local companies seizing opportunities to expand into the region as well as globally and we look forward to international players coming here and looking at the region and we will create an ecosystem for all of this to flourish.

  44. Just as the businesses who will later receive the IPOS SG50 Trade Mark Awards have done.

  45. On this note, I wish all of you a good conference and a pleasant stay in Singapore.

  46. Thank you.

Last updated on 25 Aug 2015