Update from Singapore Courts and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore in response to COVID-19

As the Singapore government seeks to reduce physical movement and interactions in the country, both the courts and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) have announced measures that will impact proceedings related to IP rights. Effective April 7, most courts in Singapore will only be hearing essential and urgent matters over the next four weeks and IPOS has announced the extension of many deadlines to May 8.

Here we outline the specific details of these measures in relation to all three courts in Singapore and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS).

We now have clarity that over the next four weeks, the Supreme Court, the State Courts, and the Family Justice Courts in Singapore will only hear essential and urgent matters. In addition, the hearings will move to being conducted through electronic means of communication.

The IPOS remains operational and, prior to this date, had already implemented its enhanced Business Continuity Plan, with staff working from home and staying connected via video-conference facilities. The physical office may be closed, but IPOS continues to support via its various platforms and with key updates noted as follows:

  • Filing deadlines for e-filing services are extended to 8 May 2020 for those required to respond between 7 April 2020 and 7 May 2020, inclusive.
  • The period of priority for manual filings will be extended to 8 May 2020, where the final day of the priority claim period falls within 7 April 2020 to 7 May 2020.
  • Cases under its Hearings and Meditation Department will also have deadlines extended to 8 May 2020.
  • The deadlines highlighted have been automatically extended and customers need not file any deadline extension requests.
  • Customers are encouraged to use the online portal, IP2SG, at www.ip2.sg, or the mobile app IPOS Go, for IP searches, submissions and transactions.
  • All e-appointments will be conducted via telephone calls and/or email and all business and legal clinics will be conducted via tele-conferencing.

With these measures in place, it can be seen that the Singapore government is providing a good amount of certainty in these uncertain times, and IP rights owners can feel assured that local IP jurisprudence remains fair and efficient.

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Tan Choon Leng

Choon Leng is a highly regarded Corporate M&A and Private Wealth lawyer and leads JurisAsia's Corporate Practice.

Posted by Tan Choon Leng

Choon Leng is a highly regarded Corporate M&A and Private Wealth lawyer and leads JurisAsia's Corporate Practice.