February 26, 2024
Taiwan and US Signs MOU on the Secure Exchange of Patent Data On November 22, 2023, Taiwan and the US signed the MOU on the Secure Exchange of Patent Data, streamlining and reducing the cost of patent priority claims for Taiwanese applicants who annually file over 20,000 patent applications in the United States.  The annual number of patent applications filed by Taiwanese has consistently been around 20,000 in recent years, but rose 6% from 2021 to 2022.  The MOU aims to alleviate this burden by facilitating the secure exchange of priority documents between the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).  The collaboration between Taiwan and the US on the electronic exchange of priority documents began in 2016 through TIPO and USPTO’s bilateral discussions.  Given the importance of information security, both confirmed details related to information equipment and transmission meticulously.  After continuous efforts from both sides, the MOU was finally signed in November 2023.  This milestone in the deepening of Taiwan’s relations with the US follows the implementation of the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) project in 2011, and the signing of the MOU on Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Cooperation in 2017.  To create an environment conducive to international patent applicants, TIPO has launched the electronic priority document exchange (PDX) program with Japan and South Korea in 2019 and 2021 respectively.  The recent expansion in PDX collaboration with the US shall greatly increase the convenience of Taiwanese applicants filing patent applications in the US, as well as for US applicants filing in Taiwan – a mutually beneficial arrangement.  Following the signing, TIPO and...
January 26, 2024
In a press release issued today, the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (“HKIAC”) has officially announced the appointment of Joanne Lau as its new Secretary General with effect from 26 February 2024. Joanne Lau, an accomplished legal professional with over a decade of experience, will succeed Dr. Mariel Dimsey in this pivotal role. Having served as Co-Chair of the HK45 committee from 2020 to 2022 and as a member of the HKIAC Proceedings Committee, Joanne has a long-standing association with HKIAC. Expressing gratitude to the outgoing Secretary General, Dr. Mariel Dimsey, Rimsky Yuen, Co-Chair of HKIAC, stated: “We thank Mariel for her commitment, dedication and contribution during her tenure as the Secretary General. Whilst we know that Mariel will continue to support HKIAC, we wish her every success in her new chapter of life. We welcome Joanne Lau as the new Secretary General. With her experience and leadership, I am confident HKIAC will continue to set new benchmarks for excellence and innovation.” David W. Rivkin, Co-Chair of HKIAC, echoed these sentiments, commending Dr. Mariel Dimsey for her leadership and expressing optimism about Joanne Lau’s future contributions. “The combination of her extensive experience leading a major international arbitration practice, her close ties to the Hong Kong community, her intellectual ability, and her language skills make her uniquely qualified to lead HKIAC. I have no doubt that Joanne will further strengthen HKIAC as one of the preeminent arbitration institutions in the world” he remarked. In response to her appointment, Joanne Lau expressed her honour at taking on the role of Secretary General “As a practitioner, I have benefited from the excellent...
January 18, 2024
  Brief background of PPPs in the Philippines As early as 1990, the Philippine has recognized the significant role and contribution of the private sector in delivering basic government services to be more accessible to the public. To maximize the untapped potential of public-private partnerships (“PPP”), the Philippine Congress enacted Republic Act No. 6957 or “An Act Authorizing the Financing, Construction, Operation and Maintenance of Infrastructure Projects by the Private Sector, and for Other Purposes.” Said law enumerated the possible contractual arrangements between the public and private sector for the implementation of government projects such as build-operate-and-transfer, build-and-transfer, build-own-and-operate, build-lease-and-transfer, contract-add-and-operate, develop-operate-and-transfer, rehabilitation-operate-and-transfer, rehabilitation-own-and-operate. Based on a report produced by the Asian Development Bank dated December 2020, from 1990 to 2019, around 116 PPP projects have achieved financial closure, covering a variety of sectors such as airports, electricity, information and communications technology, ports, railways, roads, and water and sewerage. Additionally, total amount of investments made during the same period is approximately $43.95 billion. During the effectivity of Republic Act No. 6957, several amendments were introduced, and rules and regulations were passed to ensure unified and proper implementation of the law. Under the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (“IRR”) of Republic Act No. 6957, local government units were given liberty to formulate additional guidelines or procedures for their own projects that are not in conflict with the law. Thus, in its efforts to centralize and consolidate the various rules governing PPP projects, the Philippine Congress passed Republic Act No. 11966 or the “Public-Private Partnership Code of the Philippines” (“PPP Code”). The PPP Code covers “… all contractual arrangement between an...
January 17, 2024
Taiwan Introduces Chip-driven Industrial Innovation Plan The Executive Yuan has approved a plan to spend NT 300 billion dollars in the next 10 years to fund innovations that would combine the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems and chips.  The plan was briefed to Cabinet members by the National Science and Technology Council and it is expected that the plan will be enabled by cooperation between the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Digital Affairs and the National Development Council.  It was noted that with the rise of generative AI systems, chips have driven the development of the global technology industry and have become a motivator for businesses seeking innovation.  The development of chips would be the key technology for the next industrial revolution.  The plan also lays out strategies to meet the rising challenges in developing next-generation chip technology.  The government is to allocate the abovementioned sum of money from 2024 to 2033 to develop chip technology in order to keep Taiwan at the forefront of technological developments by developing the highest level technology to design advanced chips and accelerate heterogeneous integration of chip designs and interfaces.  The funding would be used to speed up the production of non-silicon-based wafers, as well as the development of chips smaller than 1 nanometer, 3D chip stacking technology and heterogeneous integrated packaging.  The funding would also be used to develop energy-saving applications with high computing power.  Of the NT 12 billion budgeted for 2024, about NT 8 billion would be used to train and attract talent, while NT 4...
January 11, 2024
The rapid advancement of digitalization brought with it increased patronage for e-commerce. In April 2023, the Secretary of the Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry (“DTI”) reported that the increase in online transactions globally resulted in 80% growth in suspected digital fraud attempts. Suffice to say that one of the pronounced effects of the rise of e-commerce is the consequent proliferation of e-commerce fraud. While the growth of e-commerce demonstrated its potential of transforming how businesses are conducted, it also highlighted the need for governments to put in place ethical, legal and regulatory frameworks to aid consumers and entrepreneurs in navigating this increasingly complex and evolving business landscape. In the Philippines, Republic Act (“R.A.”) No. 11967 or the Internet Transactions Act of 2023 (“ITA”) was recently signed into law with the objective of regulating commercial activities through the internet. The goal is to ensure that consumer rights and data privacy are protected, innovation is encouraged, fair advertising practices and competition are promoted, online transactions are secured, intellectual property rights are upheld, and product standards and safety are guaranteed. SCOPE OF THE LAW AND JURISDICTION OF REGULATORY ENTITY In terms of application, the ITA applies to all business-to-business (“B2B”) and business-to-consumer (“B2C”) internet transactions within the mandate of the DTI where at least one of the parties is situated in the Philippines. The ITA defines an “internet transaction” as the sale or lease of digital or non-digital goods and services over the internet. The ITA is extraterritorial in scope in that it encompasses all e-commerce participants including foreign retailers which avail of the Philippine market to the extent of establishing...
January 3, 2024
In a compelling display of resilience and adaptability, legal professionals convened virtually on 24 November 2023, for the second consecutive online IHC Counsel of the Year Awards ceremony. This event not only celebrated the outstanding achievements of legal professionals in South Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, but also cast a spotlight on the dynamic evolution of legal practice across the globe. Jump to the full list of award winners Rahul Prakash from In-House Community Rahul Prakash, publisher of In-House Community, set the stage with insightful remarks on the shifting landscape of the legal profession. He noted that, with the return of travel and the introduction of a new hybrid office model, the term “legal eagle” has taken on a new meaning. Prakash also reflected on a perceptible shift in the legal landscape over the past 18 months. Over this time, lawyers have been at the forefront of monumental tasks, ranging from overseeing large multi-jurisdictional deals to orchestrating comprehensive restructurings. Their role has extended beyond traditional boundaries, encompassing innovative process changes that have reshaped the way legal services are delivered. A common trend emerging is the significant digital transformation initiatives being undertaken across industries. Against this background, the 2023 In-House Community Counsel of the Year Awards are a true reflection of excellence and innovation, covering a spectrum of categories and illustrating the diverse nature of the profession. The awards included the prestigious In-House Industry Teams of the Year, Commended External Counsel of the Year, In-House Best Practice Management Awards, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Diversity & Inclusion, Innovation, In-House Teams of the Year, and In-House Counsel of the Year. The...