A welcome by Emma Francisco, Director General, IPO of the Philippines

The inception of the EC/ASEAN technical assistance programme in 1993 to modernize the industrial property rights systems in the ASEAN region has opened a wide door of possibilities for cooperative undertakings between the Philippines and its counterparts in the European Union. The European Patent Office (EPO) and the Office for the Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM), as primary implementing agencies, have embarked on a multi-layered program dedicated to the establishment of a structured national framework capable of delivering high-quality intellectual property rights system. In particular, the sharing of experiences and best practices has helped the country craft an intellectual property system that is harmonized with the rest of the world. The trainings on capability building for IPO personnel on the other hand increased competency in the administration and prosecution of patent and trademark applications. The benefits of the Programme were likewise shared with relevant sectors, e.g., businesses, academe, government and R & D institutions, enforcement agencies, among others.

Indeed, ECAP projects contributed in facilitating the establishment of a healthy IPR climate in the Philippines and enabling the IPO become more responsive to the challenges of the international IP community.

Emma C. Francisco, Mrs. Emma Francisco Director General Intellectual Property Office (IPO) IPO Building, Penthouse Makati City Philippines Fax: