Singapore IP: Trademarks, Patents, Industrial Designs, Copyright and Domain Names

Singapore is an island city-state located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, lying 137 kilometres (85 mi) north of the equator, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of Indonesia's Riau Islands. At 710.2 km2 (274.2 sq mi), Singapore is a microstate and the smallest nation in Southeast Asia. It is substantially larger than Monaco and Vatican City, the only other surviving sovereign city-states.

The manufacturing industry is well-diversified with significant electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, mechanical engineering and biomedical sciences manufacturing sectors. In 2006, Singapore produced about 10% of the world's foundry wafer output. Singapore has one of the busiest ports in the world and is the world's fourth largest foreign exchange trading centre after London, New York City and Tokyo.

Singapore has been rated as the most business-friendly economy in the world, with thousands of foreign expatriates working in multi-national corporations. Singapore is also considered to be one of the top centers of finance in the region and the world. In addition to this, the city-state also employs tens of thousands of foreign blue-collared workers from around the world.

In 2009, the Economist Intelligence Unit ranked Singapore the tenth most expensive city in the world in which to live—the third in Asia, after Tokyo and Osaka. The 2009 Cost of Living survey, by consultancy firm Mercer, has ranked Singapore similarly as the tenth most expensive city for expatriates to live in.

General Information

Capital:

City of Singapore

Population:

4,8 million

Languages:

English

Languages:

Chinese

Government Type:

Parliamentary Republic

Dialing Code:

+65

Timezone:

GMT +8

Monetary Unit:

Singapore Dollar

More information:

Singapore

International Arrangements

- Paris Convention, since February 23, 1995.
- Patent Cooperation Treaty, since February 23, 1995.
- Madrid Protocol, since October 31, 2000.
- Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), since July 8, 1980.
- WIPO.
- Berne Convention (Literary and Artistic Works).

Patents

LEGAL BASIS
- Registration of United Kingdom Patents Act (Cap. 199) for all UK and EP (UK) patents.
- Patents Act 1994 for all patents filed from February 23, 1995.
- Patents Rules, as amended 1999, in effect from December 20, 1999.

FILING

Effective from February 23, 1995, Singapore introduced its own patent registration system. Patent applications may be filed domestically or through the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). For this purpose, the Singapore Patent Office is a PCT receiving office. However, examination of application will be referred to the Australian or Austrian Patent Office. United Kingdom or European (United Kingdom) patents registered under the United Kingdom Patents Act (Cap. 199) up to February 23, 1996 are still valid in Singapore. Re-registration of UK or EP (UK) patents is no longer possible.

Requirements:
- An application form to be completed and filed and the official filing fees paid;
- The patent specifications stating the title of the invention, a description of the invention and the claims;
- Drawings where relevant. The drawings need to conform with the requirements stipulated under Rule 21;
- An abstract not exceeding 150 words.

Note: all documents are to be filed in English.

Renewals:
- All patents granted and registered in Singapore, must be renewed in their fourth year. The first annuity is due in their fourth year and thereafter before the expiry of each successive year.

Duration:
- All patents granted are valid for twenty years and are subject to annuities.

Assignment:
- A certified copy of an Assignment Deed or document executed by both parties, and a Power of attorney must be filed.

Working:
- A compulsory licence can be granted if a patent is not sufficiently worked after three years from the date of grant of the patent. An application for restoration of a lapsed patent may be made at any time within thirty months from its expiry, and must be supported with reasons. The Patents Registrar has a discretion to allow the restoration, with or without conditions.

Trademarks

LEGAL BASIS
- Trade Marks Act (1998), in force since January 15, 1999.

Requirements:
- The mark and the list of goods;
- 6 prints;
- Name and address of applicant;
- Local address for service.

Note: a sign in a language other than English must be accompanied with a certified translation.

Applicants:
- Any person, firm or company claiming to be the proprietor who uses or intends to use a mark for goods or services.

Foreigners:
- Must have an address for service in Singapore.

Notion:
- A mark means a visually perceptible sign graphically represented and capable of distinguishing the goods or services. Excluded from registration: any matter likely to deceive or cause confusion which would be contrary to law or morality.

Well-known marks:
- Well-known trademarks and service marks may be registered as defensive marks for goods irrespective of their use.

Priority:
- According to the Paris Convention. To support a priority claim, a certified copy of the foreign application is required. If this document is in a language other than English, a certified translation is also required.

Classification:
- International classification of goods and services. One application for multiple classes is allowed, but each class will proceed as a separate application.

Publication:
- If application is accepted, an advertisement is placed in the Official Gazette.

Opposition:
- Can be filed by any person within two months from the date of advertisement.

Duration:
- Ten years from filing date.

Renewal:
- For periods of ten years.

Use:
- Compulsory to defend an existing registration, but is not necessary for renewal.

Assignment:
- Possible, may be with or without goodwill of the business concerned in the goods and in respect of all or some of these goods.

Designs and Models

LEGAL BASIS
- Designs Act 2000, with effect from November 13, 2000.

Requirements (to be sent to resident agent for filing of application):
- An application form to be completed and filed with official fees;
- Three identical representations of the designs.
Note: all documents must be filed in English.

Copyrights

Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works

As a member of the Berne Convention, it is possible to copyright protect creative works in this country as well as all the other member nations automatically (more than 160 countries), with one single application.

For more information and to submit us your works for worldwide copyright protection, click here.

Domain Names

Domain extension:

.sg

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Singapore IP: Trademarks, Patents, Industrial Designs, Copyright and Domain Names