Indonesia and Canada Strengthen Intellectual Property Cooperation
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: The Indonesian Ministry of Law and Human Rights announced that the eighth round of the Indonesia-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (ICA-CEPA) negotiations has yielded significant progress in enhancing cooperation on intellectual property protection.
“The cooperation between Indonesia and Canada, particularly in the micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) sector and communal intellectual property, has shown promising potential,” stated Yasmon, the ministry’s Director for Cooperation and Education, in a press release on Monday.
Yasmon emphasized the strategic importance of the ICA-CEPA in strengthening intellectual property cooperation between the two nations. He noted that Indonesia is Canada’s leading trade partner in Southeast Asia, highlighting the robust economic ties between the countries.
Held in Ottawa from June 24-28, the eighth round of negotiations focused on various intellectual property matters, including patents, trade secrets, copyright, and geographical indications. Yasmon highlighted that the negotiations resulted in agreements on patents, grace periods, and patent publication.
Regarding trade secrets, Yasmon acknowledged that further discussions are necessary, particularly concerning the protection of confidential information related to government employees.
Yasmon led the Indonesian delegation in the eighth round of negotiations. The ICA-CEPA, launched on June 20, 2021, has seen eight rounds of negotiations to date. The ninth round is scheduled for September 2024, with plans to conclude the negotiations in Indonesia later that year.
