ECAP II Programme Management

The Programme is financed by the European Commission and is implemented by the European Patent Office (EPO) and the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM). Whereas OHIM is responsible for the implementation of all activities relating to trade marks and designs, the EPO is in charge of carrying out activities in all other areas of intellectual property.

A Local Coordination Unit (LCU) assists with implementation of the Programme at the regional level in ASEAN. ECAP II is implemented on the basis of annual work plans which are drawn up with reference to the general five-year work plans. The work plans detailing activities to be implemented over a one-year period are prepared with input from discussions with respective ASEAN countries during regional and national Programme Committee meetings which take place once a year in Asia or in Europe. Each work plan is prepared in close cooperation with the respective ASEAN countries.

The Programme Secretariat (PS) which is in charge of the overall administration of ECAP II is based at the EPO in Munich.

Each national Intellectual Property Office in ASEAN has designated an ECAP II contact person who is in charge of coordinating the implementation of Programme activities.

Activities are carried out by Asian and European experts, in the form of training, lecture, technical assistance, systems development (automation), provision of information tools, materials (CD ROM, video, interactive training tools) and data bases; high-level and working-group meeting, seminar, workshop, colloquium, symposium, scholarship, research fellowship, study visit to Europe.