IP in ASEAN
This page provides practical information to help you make the most of your IP when doing business in ASEAN.
This page provides practical information to help you make the most of your IP when doing business in the area covered by the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN).
The Member States are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
While there is no regional IP office, there is a considerable amount of effort placed on aligning standards and there are number of regional programmes businesses can use.
British businesses looking for access to intellectual property advice and support should contact our Southeast Asia attaché team, based in the High Commission in Singapore.
Trade marks
ASEAN TMview is a searchable online database of trade mark registrations and applications filed in participating ASEAN countries: Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
This database means businesses can do an initial search and understand what trade marks are available in participating countries. It is recommended to also do secondary searches on national databases before submitting a trade mark application.
Patents
The ASEAN Patent Examination Co-operation (ASPEC) is a regional patent work-sharing programme amongst participating ASEAN countries: Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
ASPEC means businesses can use the search and examination reports from participating offices to accelerate the patent registration process in one of the other participating offices.
ASEAN Patentscope is a regional database businesses can use to search for registered patents in participating ASEAN countries.
Designs
ASEAN Designview is an online database of design registrations in participating ASEAN countries: Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The database means businesses can do an initial search and understand what designs are available in participating countries. It is advisable to do secondary searches on national databases before submitting any design application.
Enforcing your rights
The enforcement environment, PDF 5.4MB varies across the ASEAN member states. The IPO has specific enforcement guides for ASEAN countries. These manuals provide a picture of the IP enforcement environment in country however businesses are advised to take legal advice on specific IP cases.
Brand protection for e-commerce in Southeast Asia
The growth in e-commerce over the past decade has increased consumers’ choice and access to goods online. Customers are increasingly turning to major e-commerce stores to buy everyday goods. For UK businesses keen to expand into Southeast Asia, joining popular local e-commerce marketplaces provides immediate access to millions of potential customers. Most items on e-commerce marketplaces are authentic however the issue of counterfeits, goods falsely labelled with popular brands names or deliberate use of confusingly similar names and logos continues. We have developed specific advice on protecting your brand when selling on e-commerce platforms in Southeast Asia, PDF 2.6MB.
ASEAN country guides
Last updated 11 January 2022 + show all updates
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Brand protection for e-commerce in South East Asia added.
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First published.