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An Overview of Free Trade Agreements in the Asia-Pacific Region with a Particular Focus on Intellectual Property

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Intellectual Property and Free Trade Agreements in the Asia-Pacific Region

Part of the book series: MPI Studies on Intellectual Property and Competition Law ((MSIP,volume 24))

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Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) in the Asia-Pacific region. It examines the multiple interpretations of the ‘Asia-Pacific’ and asks about the usefulness of this concept as a focus of comparison. It explains the political and economic background of concluded agreements, the negotiations in progress and the formation of regional clusters of FTAs, and also shows the enormous differences in IP content in the various agreements. With the exception of Japan, Asia-Pacific countries appear as relatively reluctant converts to higher IP standards. Even the industrialized economies of the region that had to increase their IP standards after agreements with the US, EU or Japan do not necessarily impose the same standards on regional neighbours. Instead, ‘soft diplomacy’ in IP matters is important to countries in the region, as is new subject matter for intellectual property protection such as traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions.

C. Antons: Referendar jur. (Rhineland Palatinate), Assessor jur. (Bavaria), PhD in Law (University of Amsterdam); Chair in Law; Chief Investigator, ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation; Affiliated Research Fellow, Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition, Munich; Senior Fellow, Center for Development Research, University of Bonn.

?>D. Thampapillai: BA, LLB (Australian National University), M.Com (University of Sydney), LLM (Cornell University); Lecturer.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    See Bhagwati (2008). See also Bhagwati and Krueger (1995).

  2. 2.

    See Mercurio (2011), pp. 126–127.

  3. 3.

    See Sell (2011), pp. 447, 448. See also the chapter by R.M. Hilty and T. Jaeger, this volume.

  4. 4.

    See in particular the agreements concluded by Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, described in the chapters by C. Arup, S. Frankel and M. Richardson, and Ng-Loy Wee Loon, this volume.

  5. 5.

    Phillips (2008). For critical views of the terminology from social science perspectives, see the contributions in Dirlik (1993).

  6. 6.

    Dent (2008), pp. 3–6, quoting Hettne (2005), pp. 543–571.

  7. 7.

    Medcalf (2013).

  8. 8.

    Although literature using this term usually includes Myanmar, but excludes Russia, as well as Australia and New Zealand, see Ferdinand (2012), p. 1.

  9. 9.

    United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), ESCAP member states and associated members (n.d.). http://www.unescap.org/about/member-states. Accessed 27 March 2014.

  10. 10.

    United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), History (n.d.). http://www.unescap.org/about/history. Accessed 27 March 2014.

  11. 11.

    Asian Development Bank, Members (n.d.). http://www.adb.org/about/members. Accessed 27 March 2014.

  12. 12.

    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Member countries (2014). http://www.fao.org/asiapacific/rap/member-countries/en/. Accessed 27 March 2014.

  13. 13.

    United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Asia and the Pacific (n.d.). http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/worldwide/asia-and-the-pacific. Accessed 27 March 2014.

  14. 14.

    International Monetary Fund, About the Office for Asia and the Pacific (n.d.). http://www.imf.org/external/oap/about.htm . Accessed 27 March 2014.

  15. 15.

    http://www.undp.org/content/rbap/en/home.html. Accessed 27 March 2014.

  16. 16.

    World Bank, Countries (2014). http://www.worldbank.org/en/country. Accessed 27 March 2014; UNICEF, Information by country and programme (n.d.). http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/. Accessed 27 March 2014.

  17. 17.

    Garnaut and Drysdale (1994). See also the important World Bank Policy Research Report on the ‘East Asian Miracle’: World Bank (1993).

  18. 18.

    In fact, Australia’s Foreign Minister is now speaking of the ‘Indo-Pacific region’: see Bishop (2013).

  19. 19.

    United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), http://www.unescap.org/our-work/trade-agreements/about. Accessed 23 October 2013.

  20. 20.

    On India’s economic reforms, see Panagariya (2008).

  21. 21.

    See Sahoo (2012). See also Scott (2007) and Chakraborti and Chakraborty (2010). India sought APEC membership in 1991, but this was rejected in 1997. However, Australia, the United States, Japan and Vietnam all support India’s membership of APEC.

  22. 22.

    Chakraborti and Chakraborty (2010), p. 8.

  23. 23.

    Medcalf also points out that this term was used formally for the first time in a defence white paper of the Australian government: Medcalf (2013).

  24. 24.

    See Chapter 9 of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement Japan–Republic of India; Chapter 12 of the India–Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement; Chapter 11 of the India–Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement; Arts 3 and 6 India–Thailand Free Trade Agreement; Arts 3.3.d., 3.8.h. and 6.1.b.viii as well as Annex C No. 1 and 7 Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between the Republic of India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

  25. 25.

    See also the chapter by N. Ono, this volume.

  26. 26.

    Hiebert and Hanlon (2012).

  27. 27.

    Perlez (2012).

  28. 28.

    A more detailed analysis of TPP provisions under negotiation is provided in the chapter by Lim Heng Gee, this volume. On the recent leak of the draft intellectual property chapter, see Dorling (2013). The leaked draft (released 13 November 2013) can be found at Wikileaks, Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement—IP Chapter http://wikileaks.org. Accessed 24 January 2014. For the leaked draft of the US proposal, see keeptheweb#OPEN, Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement—Intellectual Property Chapter http://www.keepthewebopen.com/tpp. Accessed 17 October 2013.

  29. 29.

    Mee and Ramen being types of Asian noodles. For early developments of bilateral trade arrangements in the Asia Pacific, see the contributions in Aggarwal and Urata (2006).

  30. 30.

    For a good summary, see Aggarwal and Min (2006), p. 281.

  31. 31.

    See Charnovitz (2005), p. 167. Also, Baldwin (2011). Baldwin posits that twenty-first century regionalism works as a de facto form of multilateral rule development.

  32. 32.

    Kohler (2013), Read (2013), and Das (2013).

  33. 33.

    Ravenhill (2006), p. 43; Lee (2006), p. 185; Sen (2004), pp. 3–4, 9–11; Sen (2008), pp. 17–20.

  34. 34.

    See Kawai and Wignaraja (2011), pp. 3–4; Kimura (2006), p. 53. See also the 2008 report by the Asian Development Bank, Emerging Asian Regionalism: A Partnership for Shared Prosperity, in particular Chapter 3, ‘Integrating Production’.

  35. 35.

    Aggarwal (2006), p. 12.

  36. 36.

    Kiyota (2006), pp. 217–218.

  37. 37.

    Sen (2004), p. 3; Kimura (2006), p. 52.

  38. 38.

    See Agreement between New Zealand and Singapore on a Closer Economic Partnership (ANZSCEP) 2001. Interestingly, under Part 9 of the ANZSCEP intellectual property rights are confined to those provided for in the TRIPS Agreement.

  39. 39.

    On this turbulent period in Indonesia, see the contributions in Forrester and May (1999). On the impact of the crisis in Southeast Asia, see the contributions in Jomo (2003) and in Rodan et al. (2006).

  40. 40.

    Tongzon (2005).

  41. 41.

    See the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore), FTAs: Overview (n.d.). http://www.mfa.gov.sg/content/mfa/international_organisation_initiatives/ftas.html. Accessed 6 November 2013.

  42. 42.

    For the Free Trade Agreement Database of the Asia Development Bank, see ADB Asia Regional Integration Center, Table 6. FTA status by country/economy, 2013. http://aric.adb.org/fta-trends-by-country. Accessed 6 November 2013.

  43. 43.

    Ibid.

  44. 44.

    World Trade Organization, Regional Trade Agreements Information System (RTA-IS), Russian Federation http://rtais.wto.org/UI/PublicSearchByMemberResult.aspx?MemberCode=643&lang=1&redirect=1. Accessed 24 February 2014.

  45. 45.

    World Trade Organization, Regional Trade Agreements Information System (RTA-IS), Turkey http://rtais.wto.org/UI/PublicSearchByMemberResult.aspx?MemberCode=792&lang=1&reedirect=1. Accessed 24 February 2014.

  46. 46.

    See the WTO, Regional Trade Agreements Information System (RTA-IS).

  47. 47.

    For the Free Trade Agreement Database of the ADB Asia Regional Integration Center, see, Table 6. FTA status by country/economy, 2013. http://aric.adb.org/fta-trends-by-country. http://aric.adb.org/fta. Accessed 6 November 2013.

  48. 48.

    Hoadley (2008), pp. 109–110.

  49. 49.

    Thailand to join TPP talk, Bangkok Post, 13 November 2012. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/320886/thailand-to-join-tpp-talks. Accessed 27 January 2014. Long road to joining TPP negotiations, The Nation, 19 November 2012. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Long-road-to-joining-TPP-negotiations-30194574.html. Accessed 27 January 2014.

  50. 50.

    US TPP is not in our interest. Editorial, Bangkok Post, 19 November 2013. http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/380511/us-tpp-is-not-in-our-interest. Accessed 27 January 2014. Thailand denies being involved in US-led TPP talk. Global Times, 26 April 2013. http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/777785.shtml#.UyswTPYU-Uk. Accessed 27 January 2014.

  51. 51.

    See EU–Thailand press release/joint statement released after the second round of negotiations in Chiang Mai on 16–20 September 2013: European Commission Trade News Archive, EU and Thailand conclude second round of negotiations for a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, Thailand Chiang Mai, 16–20 September 2013. http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/press/index.cfm?id=964. Accessed 6 November 2013.

  52. 52.

    Sarnsamak (2013).

  53. 53.

    Kangwanwong (2013).

  54. 54.

    Consisting of Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein.

  55. 55.

    Norway [Embassy of], Meeting between EFTA and Thailand, July 2013. http://www.emb-norway.or.th/News_and_events/Norway-and-Thailand/News/Meeting. Accessed 6 November 2013. See also PM meets Swiss President on reviving Thailand-EFTA. Chiang Mai Mail, 12 September 2013. http://www.chiangmai-mail.com/Update2013-News/news_Sep3.shtml. Accessed 21 March 2014.

  56. 56.

    Laos–Thailand Preferential Trading Agreement, signed 20 June 1991 (in effect 20 June 1991).WTO notified/enabling clause 29 November 1991: ADB Asia Regional Integration Center, Laos–Thai PTA. http://aric.adb.org/fta/laos-thailand-preferential-trading-arrangement. Accessed 21 March 2014.

  57. 57.

    For further information and sources, see ADB Asia Regional Integration Center, Bay of Bengal initiative for multi sectoral technical and economic development (BIMSTEC) Free Trade Area http://aric.adb.org/fta/bay-of-bengal-initiative-for-multi-sectoral-technical-and-economic-cooperation-(bimstec)-free-trade-area. Accessed 21 March 2014.

  58. 58.

    India looking to set up economic corridor, will cover Bangladesh, Myanmar, First Post, 23 October 2013. http://www.firstpost.com/world/india-looking-to-set-up-economic-corridor-will-cover-bangladesh-myanmar-1189913.html; Lal (2013).

  59. 59.

    Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, Extension of the Transition Period under Article 66.1 for Least Developed Country Members, Decision of the Council for TRIPS of 11 June 2013, WTO Doc. IP/IC/64 of 12 June 2013.

  60. 60.

    See also the chapter by C. Antons and R.M. Hilty, this volume.

  61. 61.

    See Art. 11 AANZFTA, http://www.dfat.gov.au/fta/aanzfta/chapters/chapter13.html. Accessed 24 January 2014.

  62. 62.

    See the database: ADB Asia Regional Integration Center, FTA by Group (n.d.). http://www.aric.adb.org/fta-group. Accessed 7 November 2013.

  63. 63.

    For an overview of ASEAN, see Leifer (1989) and Dent (2008); also contributions in Tay et al. (2001) and in Hew (2005).

  64. 64.

    See ASEAN Secretariat (2009).

  65. 65.

    Dent (2008), pp. 110–111.

  66. 66.

    Agreement Establishing the ASEAN Australia New Zealand Free Trade Area (ASEAN-ANZ FTA) was signed 27 February 2009. Chapter 13 of the ASEAN-ANZ FTA deals with intellectual property. Chapter 13 is modestly TRIPS-plus in that Art. 9.7 requires a commitment to work towards WPPT and WCT accession. AANZFTA entered into force on 1 January 2010 for (and between) Australia, Brunei, Myanmar, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, the Philippines, and Viet Nam; for Thailand on 12 March 2010; for Lao PDR and Cambodia on 1 and 4 January 2011 respectively; and for Indonesia 10 January 2012.

  67. 67.

    For a diagram with ASEAN at the core of regional organisations and frameworks, see Dent (2008), p. 288.

  68. 68.

    ADB Asia Regional Integration Center, Melanesian Spearhead Group (n.d.). http://aric.adb.org/fta/melanesian-spearhead-group#. Accessed 17 December 2013.

  69. 69.

    There are 16 FICs. The seven TIG states are: Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu; the nine TIS states are the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Kingdom of Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Other FICs are involved in TIG to varying degrees. FICs comprise the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Marshall Islands, Fiji, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. For details, see Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, PICTA. http://www.forumsec.org/pages.cfm/economic-governance/regional-trade-1/picta/. Accessed 26 August 2013. For information about the Pacific Islands Forum, see Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, About US. http://www.forumsec.org/pages.cfm/about-us/. Accessed 26 August 2013.

  70. 70.

    For full list of member countries, both ‘Forum Island countries’ and ‘Smaller Forum Island countries’, see preamble to the text of the South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Agreement (SPARTECA). http://www.worldtradelaw.net/fta/agreements/spartecafta.pdf. Accessed 26 August 2013.

  71. 71.

    See the chapter by T. Jaeger, this volume.

  72. 72.

    See European Commission (2014), p. 5.

  73. 73.

    Pareti (2013).

  74. 74.

    Including Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The GCC has FTAs or is in negotiation about them with Australia, Singapore, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan and China, see ADB Asia Regional Integration Centre, Free Trade Agreements – FTA trends. http://aric.adb.org/fta/. Accessed 21 March 2014.

  75. 75.

    The Commonwealth of Independent States Free Trade Area, signed and in effect since 2012, includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Russian Federation, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, see ADB Asia Regional Integration Centre, Commonwealth of Independent States Free Trade Area (CIS FTA) (n.d.). http://aric.adb.org/fta/commonwealth-of-independent-states-free-trade-area. Accessed 27 January 2014.

  76. 76.

    Belarus, the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Kazakhstan concluded a Framework Agreement in 2003, see ADB Asia Regional Integration Centre, Common Economic Space (CES) (n.d.). http://www.aric.adb.org/fta/common-economic-space. Accessed 27 January 2014.

  77. 77.

    Signed and in effect since 1997 and including Belarus, the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, see ADB Asia Regional Integration Centre, Eurasian Economic Community Customs Union (EurAsEC). http://aric.adb.org/fta/eurasian-economic-community-customs-union. Accessed 27 January 2014. Three of these countries are also negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with New Zealand as the Customs Union of Russia–Belarus–Kazakhstan, see ADB Asia Regional Integration Centre, New Zealand–Customs Union of Russia–Belarus–Kazakhstan Free Trade Agreement (New Zealand–Customs Union of Russia–Belarus–Kazakhstan FTA). http://aric.adb.org/fta/new-zealand-customs-union-of-russia-belarus-kazakhstan-free-trade-agreement. Accessed 17 December 2013.

  78. 78.

    Signed and in effect since 2006, see ADB Asia Regional Integration Centre, Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova Free Trade Agreement (GUAM FTA). http://aric.adb.org/fta/Georgia-ukraine-azerbaijan-moldova-free-trade-agreement. Accessed 27 January 2014.

  79. 79.

    Signed and in effect since 2006 and including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, see ADB Asia Regional Integration Centre, South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA). http://aric.adb.org/fta/south-asian-free-trade-area. Accessed 17 December 2013.

  80. 80.

    See above for details of this initiative.

  81. 81.

    See the introduction on the website of the SCO: Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Brief Introduction to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. http://www.sectsco.org/EN123/brief.asp. Accessed 27 January 2014. See also Turkey’s raising of the SCO as an alternative, if the EU membership process fails: SCO strong alternative for Turkey, says AK Party’s Kapusuz, http://en.dunyatimes.com/article/sco-strong-alternative-for-turkey-says-ak-partys-kapusuz-45564.html. Accessed 27 March 2014.

  82. 82.

    ADB Asia Regional Integration Centre, Shanghai Cooperation Organization Free Trade Agreement (SCO FTA). http://aric.adb.org/fta/shanghai-cooperation-organization-free-trade-agreement. Accessed 17 December 2013. See also China mulls free trade zone among SCO member states, Xinhua News Agency, 3 September 2011. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/1011-09/03/c_131095193.htm. Accessed 27 January 2014.

  83. 83.

    For a brief history of the ECO, see ECO Secretariat, Brief History (n.d.). http://www.ecosecretariat.org/MainMenu/briefhistory.htm. Accessed 27 January 2014.

  84. 84.

    ADB Asia Regional Integration Centre, Economic Cooperation Organization Trade Agreement (ECOTA). http://aric.adb.org/fta/economic-cooperation-organization-trade-agreement. Accessed 17 December 2013.

  85. 85.

    For a list, see ADB Asia Regional Integration Centre, Trade Preferential System of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (TPS-OIC). http://aric.adb.org/fta/trade-preferential-system-of-the-organization-of-the-islamic-conference. Accessed 17 December 2013.

  86. 86.

    Members include Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey. The agreement is not yet in effect, see ADB Asia Regional Integration Centre, Preferential Tariff Arrangement-Groups of Eight Developing Countries (PTA-D8). http://aric.adb.org/fta/preferential-tariff-arrangement-group-of-eight-developing-countries. Accessed 17 December 2013.

  87. 87.

    ADB Asia Regional Integration Centre, Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (Trans-Pacific SEP). http://aric.adb.org/fta/trans-pacific-strategic-economic-partnership-agreement. Accessed 27 January 2014.

  88. 88.

    See earlier discussion above.

  89. 89.

    Srinivasan (2010), p. 200.

  90. 90.

    See Mercurio (2011). See Kawai and Wignaraja (2011).

  91. 91.

    Lindberg and Alvstam (2012), p. 164; Baldwin (2006).

  92. 92.

    See, for example, Drahos and Braithwaite (2002).

  93. 93.

    Drahos (2004).

  94. 94.

    See, e.g., Australia–United States Free Trade Agreement 2004; Singapore–United States Free Trade Agreement 2002.

  95. 95.

    See Abe Government gives America’s trade pact a boost, The Asia Sentinel, 13 March 2013. http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5248&Itemid=227. Accessed 4 September 2013.

  96. 96.

    Winkler and Kim (2014).

  97. 97.

    See the discussion of Thailand’s position above.

  98. 98.

    US–ASEAN businessmen lobby Indonesia on TPP, Jakarta Post, 25 June 2013.

  99. 99.

    Desiderio (2013).

  100. 100.

    For a discussion of TRIPS-plus standards, see Ruse-Khan (2009). See also Sell (2011).

  101. 101.

    See Art. IV Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of India and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. http://www.commerce.nic.in/ilfta.htm. Accessed 28 January 2014.

  102. 102.

    Art. 15 CIS FTA.

  103. 103.

    Art. 33(1) Agreement on Customs Union and Single Economic Area between the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Tajikistan.

  104. 104.

    Art. 16(1)(e) Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement, focusing on patents, trade marks, copyrights and the prevention of deceptive practices. Available at Investment Fiji, 18 August 2001. http://www.investmentfiji.org.fj/resources/uploads/attachments/documents/PICTA%20-%20endorse%20&%20sign(18-8-01).pdf. Accessed 28 January 2014.

  105. 105.

    [1983] ATS 2, Art. 18(d).

  106. 106.

    [1991] ATS 37, Art. 8(k), focusing on industrial property rights, copyrights as well as unfair, deceptive or misleading practices. This agreement (PATCRA II) was preceded by an agreement of 1976 with the same provision: Agreement on Trade and Commercial Relations between the Government of Australia and the Government of Papua New Guinea [1977] ATS 7 (PATCRA I). Both available at http://austlii.edu.au/au/. Accessed 28 January 2014.

  107. 107.

    Art. VI(1)(d), defining IP rights in the same way as PATCRA.

  108. 108.

    See the text, see ASEAN, ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint, January 2008 http://www.asean.org/archive/5187-10.pdf. Accessed 27 March 2014.

  109. 109.

    See Art. 3(8)(H) Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between the Republic of India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Available at ASEAN website. http://www.asean.org/news/item/framework-agreement-on-comprehensive-economic-cooperation-between-the-republic-of-india-and-the-association-of-southeast-asian-nations-3. Accessed 24 February 2014.

  110. 110.

    See Art. 3.1(1)(j) Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation among the Governments of the Member Countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Republic of Korea. Available at ASEAN. http://www.asean.org/news/item/framework-agreement-on-comprehensive-economic-cooperation-among-the-governments-of-the-member-countries-of-the-association-of-southeast-asian-nations-and-the-republic-of-korea-kuala-lumpur-13-december-2005. Accessed 25 February 2014.

  111. 111.

    See Arts 3 and 7 Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Co-operation between ASEAN and the People’s Republic of China. Available at World Bank. http://wits.worldbank.org/GPTAD/PDF/archive/ASEAN-China.pdf. Accessed 25 February 2014.

  112. 112.

    Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on Cooperation in the Field of Intellectual Property. Available at Department of Intellectual Property (Thailand). http://www.ipthailand.go.th/ipthailand/images/Edittt/inter/mou%20china-asean.pdf. Accessed 25 February 2014.

  113. 113.

    Art. 53(c) and Annex 5 Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Partnership among Japan and Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Text available at Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, ASEAN–Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, April 2008. http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/economy/fta/asean.html. Accessed 25 February 2014.

  114. 114.

    See Art. 57 Agreement between New Zealand and Singapore on a Closer Economic Partnership. For text, see New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. http://mfat.govt.nz/Trade-and-Economic-Relations/2-Trade-Relationships-and-Agreements/Singapore/Closer-Economic-Partnership-Agreement-text/0-cep-part9.php. Accessed 29 January 2014.

  115. 115.

    Art. 3(6)(viii) Framework Agreement between India and Thailand. Text available at http://wits.worldbank.org/GPTAD/PDF/archive/India-Thailand.pdf. Accessed 27 March 2014. The FTA has been under negotiation for almost a decade, with almost 30 rounds of meetings having occurred. Trade and investment relations improved after the conclusion of the framework agreement in 2003; while an ‘early harvest scheme’ of the FTA, with tariff exemption for 84 products, came into force as early as 2004. See Shyamal (2013).

  116. 116.

    India–Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) 2003. Chapter 11 contains two Articles outlining the commitment to cooperation and the form it will take.

  117. 117.

    See Art. 12.3 New Zealand–Thailand Closer Economic Partnership Agreement 2005. Available at New Zealand Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade. http://mfat.govt.nz/downloads/trade-agreement/thailand/thainzcep-december2004.pdf. Accessed 21 March 2014.

  118. 118.

    See Arts 12.4 and 12.5(d) New Zealand–Thailand Closer Economic Partnership Agreement 2005. In the main, the agreement affirms TRIPS obligations.

  119. 119.

    As to a recent tendency in the laws of developing countries to mix heritage protection and intellectual property rights, see Antons (2012, 2013).

  120. 120.

    See Art. 19 Economic Cooperation Organization Trade Agreement. Available at: http://www.ecosecretariat.org/ftproot/Documents/Agreements/ECOTA.htm. Accessed 27 January 2014.

  121. 121.

    The annexes to ECOTA are available at World Bank. http://wits.worldbank.org/GPTAD/PDF/annexes/ECO_Annexes.pdf. Accessed 29 January 2014.

  122. 122.

    See Art. 1303 Thailand–Australia Free Trade Agreement. Text available at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Thailand–Australia Free Trade Agreement. http://www.dfat.gov.au/fta/tafta. Accessed 25 February 2014.

  123. 123.

    See the ‘leaked’ copy of a 10 February 2011 version of the US proposal for the IPR chapter, available from the Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) website: http://keionline.org/sites/default/files/tpp-10feb2011-us-text-ipr-chapter.pdf. Accessed 26 August 2013. For a summary of KEI’s concerns, see Knowledge Ecology International, The complete February 10, 2011 text of the US proposal for the TPP IPR chapter, submitted by KEI staff, 10 March 2011. On KEI staff blog http://keionline.org.node/1091. Accessed 26 August 2013. For the most recent leaked draft, see Wikileaks, Secret TPP treaty: Advanced Intellectual Property chapter for all 12 nations with negotiating positions, Wikileaks release, 13 November 2013. http://wikileaks.org/tpp/static/pdf/Wikileaks-secret-TPP-treaty-IP-chapter.pdf. Accessed 24 January 2014. See also the chapter by Lim Heng Gee, this volume.

  124. 124.

    See Art. 17.7 Korea–Singapore Free Trade Agreement, providing that Singapore shall designate KIPO as a prescribed patent office under the Singaporean Patents Act. Available at http://www.commonlii.org/sg/other/treaties/2005/2. Accessed 26 February 2014.

  125. 125.

    Art. 17.6 Korea–Singapore Free Trade Agreement.

  126. 126.

    Art. 2 Singapore–Australia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA). Text available Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. http://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/negotiations/australia_singapore_agreement.html. Accessed 26 February 2014.

  127. 127.

    See Arts 84, 85 Agreement between Japan and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam for an Economic Partnership; Arts 127, 128 Agreement between Japan and the Kingdom of Thailand for an Economic Partnership; Arts 121, 122 Agreement between Japan and the Republic of the Philippines for an Economic Partnership; Arts 117, 118 Agreement between the Government of Malaysia and the Government of Japan for an Economic Partnership; Arts 110, 111 Agreement between Japan and the Republic of Indonesia for an Economic Partnership. All these Economic Partnership Agreements are available at Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/economy/fta/index.html. Accessed 26 February 2014.

  128. 128.

    Sell (2011), p. 448.

  129. 129.

    See Charnovitz (2005), p. 182.

  130. 130.

    Asian Development Bank (2008).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Law, Faculty of Business and Law, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia

    Christoph Antons

  2. College of Law, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

    Dilan Thampapillai

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    Christoph Antons

  2. Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition, Munich, Germany

    Reto M. Hilty

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Antons, C., Thampapillai, D. (2015). An Overview of Free Trade Agreements in the Asia-Pacific Region with a Particular Focus on Intellectual Property. In: Antons, C., Hilty, R. (eds) Intellectual Property and Free Trade Agreements in the Asia-Pacific Region. MPI Studies on Intellectual Property and Competition Law, vol 24. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-30888-8_2

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