Introduction of TWPAA
Patent attorneys exert their professional expertise in technology and laws to help inventors apply for patents, provide advice and services on patent-related issues, and assist with patent-related disputes. The cultivation and management of patent attorneys is critical in promoting the quality of service relating to patent and intellectual property rights, enhancing overall research and innovation, and fostering the sound development of patent and intellectual property rights.
While Patent Law went into effect in Taiwan as early as January 1st, 1949, due to the absence of established statutory laws, matters relating to qualification and management of patent attorneys have been for years regulated by a government order, the Rules Governing Patent Agents (“Patent Agent Rules”), which was first promulgated by the Ministry of Economic Affairs in 1953. However, because the number of Patent Agents qualified under the Patent Agent Rules far exceeds that of actual practitioners in patent business, effective management of patent agents has been difficult. Moreover, communications and opinion exchanges among patent agents could previously only rely on platforms of established unofficial private associations such as the Asian Patent Attorneys Association (“APAA”), the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (“AIPPI”), and others. Recognition of legal positioning and expertise of Patent Agents and implementation of management and professional ethics was, however, beyond the capabilities of the existing structures.
Although the Patent Attorney Act was submitted to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation in 1988, no further progress was made for almost 20 years. Due to relentless efforts and discussions undertaken by senior members of the APAA, as well as coordination by then Director General of the TIPO, Mr. Cai Liansheng, the Patent Attorney Act was finally promulgated on July 11th, 2007 and went into effect on January 11th, 2008. The first Taiwan Patent Attorney Bar Examination was held in August 2008, with the first group of patent attorneys becoming registered in May 2009 after passing the bar examination and receiving training. About 70 Patent Agents who were exempt from the bar examination obtained patent attorney qualification after receiving professional training. A promotional meeting of patent attorneys was held on July 29th, 2009 by the TIPO in accordance with the Patent Attorney Act, and a formal application for establishing the association was filed with the Ministry of the Interior on August 14th of the same year. The much-anticipated “Taiwan Patent Attorney Association” (TWPAA) was finally established on December 11th, 2009.
The TWPAA is a self-governing organization composed of patent attorneys in Taiwan. It not only provides a full range of education and training for new and in-service patent attorneys but also strives to raise public awareness of IP rights. The TWPAA also engages in international cooperation with foreign IP-related agencies and organizations.
TWPAA’s Milestone Events
2009 |
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2009/12/11 |
The Ministry of the Interior approved the application for establishment of TWPAA, and the first general assembly of TWPAA was held.
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2010 |
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2010/2/22 |
TWPAA moved to 11th Floor, 390 Section 1 of Fuxing South Road, Taipei city. |
2010/4/15 |
Dean of the Intellectual Property Institute of Renmin University of China visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
2010/4/20~4/21 |
TWPAA co-organized “2010 Taiwan Intellectual Property Seminar” with LexisNexis. |
2010/4/22 |
TWPAA organized “2010 East Asia Patent Forum”, and invited judges of the Intellectual Property Court, the former chair of Japan Patent Attorneys Association, the vice chair of Korean Patent Attorneys Association, among others, to give keynote speeches. |
2010/4/22 |
TWPAA held a reception to celebrate establishment of TWPAA, and published the first issue of the quarterly periodical “Taiwan Patent Attorneys Journal”. |
2010/5/31 |
TWPAA published the special issue of the quarterly periodical “Taiwan Patent Attorneys Journal”. |
2010/5/11~5/15 |
TWPAA delegates visited foreign associations, including Korean branch of AIPPI, Korean Patent Attorneys Association (KPAA), Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation (JIII), Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA), International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys in Japan (FICPI•JAPAN), International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property in Japan (AIPPI•JAPAN), Japan Intellectual Property Association (JIPA), and Asian Patent Attorneys Association Recognized Group of Japan (APAA JAPAN). |
2010/7/29 |
TWPAA held a joint seminar with Taiwan Intellectual Property Office, American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA). |
2010/9/15~9/19 |
TWPAA delegates visited foreign associations, including All-China Patent Agents Association, Patent Protection Association of China (PPAC), School of Intellectual Property of Peking University, Intellectual Property Institute of Renmin University of China, and China Intellectual Property Society. |
2010/10/29 |
Taiwan Intellectual Property delegations of Japan Intellectual Property Association (JIPA) visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
2010/12/10 |
TWPAA held a joint seminar with Taiwan Intellectual Property Office, and invited committees from American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) to give a keynote speech.
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2011 |
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2011/3/3 |
Intellectual Property Research Center of Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation (JIII) visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
2011/5/9~5/13 |
TWPAA delegates visited American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA). |
2011/6/1~6/3 |
TWPAA delegates and Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA) Recognized Group of Taiwan visited UK Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) and UK Intellectual Property Organization (UK-IPO) . |
2011/6/29 |
International Section of Japan Patent Office and Japan Communication Association visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
2011/9/17 |
TWPAA co-organized the “Symposium on Intellectual Property Cases Adjudication” with Taiwan Society of Law and Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA) Recognized Group of Taiwan. |
2011/9/20 |
Intellectual Property delegations led by the Head of Fujian Intellectual Property Office visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
2011/9/23~9/28 |
TWPAA co-organized the first intensive training Courses of Patent Attorney Qualification Examination in China with the Chinese National Federation of Industries. |
2011/10/14 |
TWPAA co-organized “2011 Patent Law System and Practice Seminar” with National Chung Hsing University School of Law. |
2011/11/19~11/21 |
TWPAA delegates attended the annual meeting of “Intellectual Property Practice Forum in China” and visited several entities in China. |
2011/12/17 |
TWPAA co-organized the “Seminar on Review and Outlook of Changing Patent System” with Taiwan Society of Law and Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA) Recognized Group of Taiwan.
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2012 |
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2012/4/23 |
TWPAA cohosted a seminar on “Recent Development of the US IP Law” with American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) and Taiwan Intellectual Property Office. |
2012/7/12 |
All-China Patent Agents Association visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
2012/7/21 |
TWPAA held a seminar on “Impacts of the Amendments of the Patent Act on A Company's IP Management and Legal Practice”. |
2012/9/15 |
The Right-Asserting Committee held discussion meeting in Central Taiwan. |
2012/11/2 |
Japan Intellectual Property Association (JIPA) visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
2012/11/14 |
The Appeal Committee of the European Patent Office (EPO) visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates.
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2013 |
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2013/3/8 |
TWPAA held the patent law seminar titled “Claim Construction: Review and Analysis of Recent Judgments”. |
2013/4/26 |
Beijing Patent Attorney Association visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
2013/5/17 |
TWPAA held the patent law seminar titled “Means-Plus-Function language in Claim Construction”. |
2013/6/26 |
Fujian Patent Attorney Association visited TWPAA and held the “Taiwan Patent Attorneys Forum”. |
2013/10/28 |
Patent examiners in semiconductor fields of the Munich office of the European Patent Office (EPO) visited TWPAA, and held a seminar on “Recent Development and Trend of the European Patent Practice”. |
2013/11/8~11/10 |
TWPAA delegates attended the IP forum held by All China Lawyers Association and visited Fujian Intellectual Property Office. |
2013/12/27 |
TWPAA co-organized the “Seminar on Review and Outlook of Internationalization of Taiwan Patent Industry and Dispute Settlement Law System Policies” with Center for Law, Technology and Ethics in the College of Law of National Taiwan University, Economic and Financial Law Center in College of Law in National Chengchi University, Economic and Financial Law Center in National Taipei University Department of Law, Taiwan Bar Association.
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2014 |
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2014/3/7 |
TWPAA held the patent law seminar titled “Impact of Patents as Intangible Property on Court Proceedings.” |
2014/5/2 |
TWPAA co-organized a seminar titled “The Latest Development of Japan Patent Litigation Practices” with the Judicial Yuan, and invited the Director of the Japan Intellectual Property High Court to give a keynote speech. |
2014/7/11 |
TWPAA held a patent law seminar titled “Interrelations between the Authority Principle and Adversarial Principle in Patent Litigation”. |
2014/8/5 |
Suzhou Intellectual Property Bureau of Jiangsu Province visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
2014/10/6 |
TWPAA's Committee of Cross-Strait Affairs held a reception to celebrate the launch of the taskforce to assist with Taiwan citizens who passed the Mainland Patent Attorney Bar Exam”. |
2014/12/26~12/27 |
TWPAA co-organized a Symposium on “Review of 2014 Taiwan Patent Examination and Litigation Practice” with the College of Law of the National Taiwan University.
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2015 |
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2015/2/23 |
Judge of the IP Adjudication Tribunal of China’s Supreme People’s Court visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
2015/4/13 |
TWPAA co-organized the seminar on “Updates and Strategies on U.S. Patent Practice” with American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA). |
2015/5/12 |
TWPAA's Committee of Cross-Strait Affairs held a reception for Taiwan citizens who passed the Mainland Patent Attorney Bar Exam”. |
2015/5/22 |
Beijing Patent Attorney Association visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
2015/7/23 |
Intellectual Property Office of Hebei Province visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
2015/7/31 |
Japan Intellectual Property Association (JIPA) visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
2015/8/27 |
TWPAA co-organized the “International Seminar on Doctrine of Equivalents and Limitation Thereof” with the Judicial Yuan and the College of Law of National Taiwan University. |
2015/8/28~8/29 |
TWPAA co-organized the “2015 Patent Law System Seminar–Claim Construction and International comparison of Inventiveness” with TIPO and the College of Law of National Taiwan University. |
2015/10/26 |
Delegates from the Intellectual Property Office of Shandong Province visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
2015/10/30 |
Delegates from the Beijing Intellectual Property visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
2016 |
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| 2016/4/13 | TWPAA’s Committee of Cross-Strait Affairs held a reception for Taiwan citizens who passed the “Mainland China Patent Attorney Bar Exam”. |
| 2016/6/21~6/23 | TWPAA delegates visited Japan Patent Office (JPO), Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA), and Kinki Branch of Japan Patent Attorneys Association (KJPAA). |
| 2016/8/8~8/11 | TWPAA delegates visited Guangxi Teachers Education University, Guangxi Intellectual Property Development Institute, Guangxi Intellectural Property Exchange Center, Guangxi Intellectual Property Office, GuangZhou Development Zone Technology Innovation & Intellectual Property Office, GuangZhou Intellectual Property Court, Patent Examination Cooperation Center of the Patent Office, SIPO, GuangDong, Jinan University Law School & Intellectual Property School, and GuangDong Intellectual Property Office. |
| 2016/8/16 | Suzhou Intellectual Property Bureau of Jiangsu Province visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
| 2016/9/12~9/13 | TWPAA delegates visited European Patent Institute (EPI), Deutsche Patentanwaltskammer (GPAA), European Patent Office (EPO) and EPO Boards of Appeal, and observed the Oral hearings held by EPO Boards of Appeal. |
| 2016/10/4~10/5 | TWPAA co-hosted the “2016 Symposium on Patent Law and Practice” with TIPO. |
| 2016/10/18 | TWPAA’s Cross-Strait Affairs Committee held a reception for Taiwan citizens who passed the “Mainland China Patent Attorney Bar Exam”. |
| 2016/11/28 | TWPAA’s Business IP Management Committee held a reception. |
| 2016/12/8 | All-China Patent Attorneys Association visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
| 2016/12/8 | Guangdong Intellectual Property Office visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
2017 |
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| 2017/3/3~3/25 | TWPAA held the “Patent Attorneys Entry Training” course. |
| 2017/3/9 | TWPAA’s Cross-Strait Affairs Committee held a reception for Taiwan citizens who passed the “Mainland China Patent Attorney Bar Exam”. |
| 2017/3/10 | TWPAA co-hosted the “2017 International Symposium on Patent Strategy and Practice” with Graduate Institute of Patent, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, in which member of Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) served as speakers. |
| 2017/3/26 | TWPAA signed a memorandum on collaboration with Guangxi University for Nationalities. |
| 2017/4/13~4/15 | TWPAA delegates visited Fujian Intellectual Property Office. |
| 2017/5/9 | American Intellectual Property Law Association visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
| 2017/5/12 | Beijing Patent Attorneys Association visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
| 2017/5/19 | TWPAA had a Discussion meeting with Fukami Patent Office, p.c.. |
| 2017/6/28 | TWPAA delegates visited Shenzhen Intellectual Property Administration and co-hosted the Discussion meeting with Shenzhen Intellectual Property Administration and Shenzhen Patent Association and Scihead Intellectual Property. |
| 2017/8/7 | Shanghai Intellectual Property Bureau visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
| 2017/9/29 | TWPAA’s Cross-Strait Affairs Committee held a reception for Taiwan citizens who passed the “Mainland China Patent Attorney Bar Exam”. |
| 2017/12/1 | TWPAA’s Business IP Management Committee held“2017 Business IP Management discussion meeting”. |
| 2017/12/4 | Suzhou Intellectual Property Bureau of Jiangsu Province visited TWPAA and had a discussion meeting with TWPAA delegates. |
| 2017/12/15 | TWPAA co-hosted the “Symposium on Patent Law and Practice 2017”with TIPO. |