7th FAMI IPR Symposium

The 7th Federation of Asian Motorcycle Industries (FAMI) Intellectual Property Rights Symposium was held at the Manila Marriott Hotel, Pasay City, Philippines on 27 October 2011 under the auspices of the Motorcycle Development Program Association, Inc. (MDPPA).

The Symposium, a bi-annual activity of FAMI’s Intellectual Property Rights Task Force conducted around the seven FAMI members,The presence of FAMI’s President Dato’ Syed Mohamad Aidid and Secretary General Khalili Zulkifli during the Symposium added significance to the event.encourages effective measures to address the increasing MCcounterfeiting activities in Asia.

“IP protection is everyone’s responsibility. The promotion of public’s awarenessand respect for intellectual property rights is of paramount importance”, Dato’Aidid pointed out in his Keynote Message. He also added that as IP promotion andprotection are a continuing challenge, it is time for action to make the difference in the motorcycle industry. Mr. Zulkifli, for his part, congratulated everyone for theirheightened interest on IP protection with his warm opening remarks.

The Symposium aimed at intensifying protection of intellectual property rights inthe motorcycle industry. It pulled together government leaders, industry expertsand innovative entrepreneurs to exchange views on the art of IP protection andpromotion. Officials from the Philippines’ Intellectual Property Office andNational Bureau of Investigation presented the status and updates of their agencies’IPR enforcement activities.

Experts from FAMI members, notably the JapanAutomotive Manufacturers Association (JAMA) represented by the Chairman ofits IP Experts Group MC Committee Hisaji Kuroda and Asosiasi IndustriSepedamotor Indonesia‘s (AISI) Head of Legal, Human Resource and SocialAffairs Andi Hartanto, talked on the utilization and commercial management ofIPR; how to further advance cooperation and communication on IPR, and sharedtheir respective association’s practices and    stories on how they successfullycountered the entry of copycats into their markets.

In his presentation, MDPPA Vice President and Government Committee ChairmanAlfredo Lejano outlined the status of motorcycle industry in the Philippinesshowing the steady increase of MC sales since the 1990s. However, a big concernof late is the increasing presence of infringing products and spare parts that haveflooded the market, thereby threatening the growth and continuing viability of the motorcycle manufacturing sector.

It is in this context that MDPPA saw it fit toforge a Memorandum of Agreement with the Intellectual Property Office of thePhilippines in July 2011 to generate awareness on the importance of IPR on socialand economic development and the necessity of its protection and enforcement.

The long litigation process in the disposition of IPR violation cases were amongMDPPA’s concerns. However, finally with the establishment of specialized IPcourts and the passage of the rules of procedures for IPR cases (Philippine DailyInquirer, October 24, 2011, pp J2 and J3), the industry hopes to see the speedyand quality disposition of cases .

In a call for action, Mr. Lejano urged IP ownersto protect their rights, otherwise its value cannot be realized. As everyone’sconcern and responsibility, the magnitude and effects of counterfeiting are suchsignificance that they compel strong and sustained actions from governments,business and consumers.

Representatives from FAMI members, governmental departments, MDPPAmember companies, dealers’ association and media, attended the symposium.MDPPA President Rene M. Gener welcomed the guests who said that everyone’spresence greatly show their interest and concern on the issues surrounding IPR.