LANGKAWI, 21 November 2013 - ASEAN Member States (AMS) will be better equipped to educate their respective business communities on intellectual property management following the release this month of a practical Intellectual Property (IP) public education and awareness strategy.

The development of the strategy is part of an ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) Economic Cooperation Work Programme (ECWP) project which aims to implement a sustained and strategic approach to IP public education and awareness in the region.

IP is gaining importance amongst the thriving ASEAN economies. IP has assisted many business owners as well as creators in the ASEAN region to grow and seek out new markets and opportunities internationally. This joint initiative between ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand is another important knowledge multiplier to benefit businesses, innovators, and creators in ASEAN. Through this initiative, businesses, innovators, and creators in ASEAN will be able to learn more about IP protection, management and commercialisation with useful toolkits, explained Mr. Tan Yih San, Chair of the ASEAN Working Group on IP Cooperation.

Through this project, AMS have been provided with a practical strategy to improve IP management awareness and knowledge. Following a workshop and meeting in May 2013 in Bangkok, an IP Educators Community of Practice has also been established to enable communications practitioners in AMS, Australia and New Zealand to support one another and to share practical best practice approaches to IP public education and awareness.

IP savvy businesses are already taking advantage of the commercial and trade opportunities opened up by the creation of the AANZFTA, said Mr. Michael Mugliston, AANZFTA Joint Committee Lead for Australia. Cooperation between ASEAN, Australia and New Zealand through this project means that we can ensure more regional businesses are focusing on their IP as part of their regional exporting plans, he added.