Industrial Property Right Protection and Copyright in ASEAN-Countries

Survey

Abstract

The article surveys present industrial property (patents, trademarks) and copyright laws in the ASEAN countries (without Brunei), their historical antecedents in colonial legal frameworks and their contemporary relevance in the controversy over the legal protection of computer software as also of videos and musical recordings. It lays particular emphasis on the United States' efforts to make the ASEAN countries accede to international industrial property rights and copyright conventions by linking these legal with trade issues. As the acceptance of international legal standards frequently arises out of economic weakness of the country concerned rather than genuine acceptance of intellectual and industrial property rights, the passing of the respective laws may only shift the problem to the sphere of implementation and administrative control.