This report argues that intellectual property rights (IPRs) are key to ASEAN development. It is a collaboration between five think tanks from four ASEAN countries.
ASEAN countries like Malaysia, Philippines, Viet Nam, Indonesia and Thailand need to find new sources of economic growth and job creation to help them transition away from low-value manufacturing and export of commodities to a higher income economy. Reorienting the economy towards knowledge-based industries will be essential.
A strong framework of IPRs will be fundamental to ASEAN, as it will allow deeper integration into global R&D networks and manufacturing value-chains, which are increasingly knowledge-based.
This report looks at the strengths and weaknesses of the framework of intellectual property protection within key ASEAN countries, and outlines an agenda for reform. The report shows that despite recent improvements the strength, scope and efficiency of the intellectual property framework in many ASEAN countries is still well below the highest global standards.
Concluding with a number of specific reform recommendations, the report argues that strong IPRs need to be at the centre of ASEAN national economic development and investment promotion strategies.
The co-sponsors of this report are:
Geneva Network, United Kingdom
Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs, Malaysia
Minimal Government Thinkers, Philippines
Paramadina Public Policy Institute, Indonesia
Siam Intelligence Unit, Thailand