EUIPO Supports ASEAN Cooperation on Patents, AI and Emerging Technologies

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), through the EU-funded SCOPE IPR project, supported an ASEAN Patent Examination Cooperation (ASPEC) meeting and workshop held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 17-18 September 2026.

The activity brought together patent experts from the Oficina Española de Patentes y Marcas (OEPM), the European Patent Office, the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) and ASEAN Member States to strengthen regional cooperation on patent examination and exchange knowledge on patents, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. Discussions considered how technological developments are affecting the intellectual property landscape and the work of IP offices in the region.

The meeting also supported the continued development of ASPEC and its Community of Practice. Through these regional mechanisms, ASEAN Member States cooperate to strengthen patent examination and facilitate greater exchange of knowledge and experience among their IP offices.

The activity contributed to Strategic Measure 2 of the ASEAN IPR Action Plan 2026-2030, which supports the harmonisation of regulatory frameworks and stronger ASEAN IP institutions. It also built on SCOPE IPR’s broader support for ASEAN IP task forces, working groups and regional cooperation mechanisms.

Through SCOPE IPR, the EUIPO continues to work with ASEAN and ASEAN Member States’ IP offices to strengthen regional cooperation and contribute to a more efficient, interconnected and innovation-friendly intellectual property ecosystem across Southeast Asia.