INTA highlights Asia counterfeit developments; UKIPO appoints new chair; WIPO calls for covid-19 action – news digest

Bridget Diakun, Tim Lince, Trevor Little and Victoria Arnold-Rees

05 October 2021

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Every Tuesday and Friday, WTR presents a round-up of news, developments and insights from across the trademark sphere. In our latest round-up, we look at the EUIPO reaching 1.5 million design applications, Kraft Heinz announcing new UK licensing deals, H&M capitalising on the branded merchandise market, and much more. Coverage this time from Victoria Arnold (VA), Bridget Diakun (BD), Tim Lince (TJL) and Trevor Little (TL).

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INTA’s Asia-Pacific representative highlights ASEAN action against online fakes – INTA’s chief representative, Asia-Pacific, Seth Hays, has penned an article for the ASEAN Post highlighting developments that took place during the first ASEAN IP Enforcement Week, as well as wider efforts to combat fake goods online. This includes the recently updated IP Rights Action Plan, which outlines two new deliverables addressing online enforcement: the creation of an information exchange and ASEAN guidelines on the topic. Government action in the region is critical, argues Hays, but it is not the only solution to this growing problem. Instead, the continued evolution of a consensus against fakes is required. “Looking back at the previous three ASEAN IPR Action plans, we see a clear change in focus to recognize the danger of counterfeits,” he concludes. “The new plan presents eight deliverables to address the problem, including important awareness raising and data collection. E-commerce will continue to grow in ASEAN. To keep consumers safe, governments, e-commerce platforms, and brand owners need to continue innovating to prevent the sale of counterfeits online. These recent amendments to the ASEAN IPR action plan clearly show ASEAN’s vision for a safe, resilient, and authentic digital future.” (TL)