Author: Developers Think

IP Key China is a long-standing project directed by the European Commission, implemented and co-funded by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). It has provided substantial support to intellectual property (IP) cooperation and political dialogue between the EU and China to build a level playing field for EU rightsholders.

Europe exports technology and know-how, but if unprotected, EU businesses can fall victim of infringements. Intellectual property right (IPR) protection and enforcement is a major challenge for EU businesses wishing to expand in new markets.

In 2021, with exports amounting to € 61 million, Malta traded mainly machinery and transport equipment – mainly electrical machinery and appliances – worth € 35 million (58 % of exports to China), chemicals and related products – mainly plastics in non-primary forms worth € 19 million (31 % of exports to China), and manufactured goods – mainly rubber manufactures – for € 4 million (8 % of exports to China).

1.6 million European Union Trade Mark (EUTM) registrations, containing more that 4.4 million associated classes of goods and services, were in force on 1 January 2020, with an average annual growth rate of 5.6 % (2010-2019). Most EUTM filings continued to originate from within the EU, which had an average share of 68.3 % of total filings. Germany led the way as the top EU and global filing country, followed by other large EU economies such as Italy, Spain and France. Information about Malta can be found here.

Taking stock of its achievements, the Executive Director of the EUIPO, Christian Archambeau, said:

During the past 5 years, IP Key China was at the side of entrepreneurs, SMEs, researchers and creative thinkers to protect the intellectual assets that ensure the future of their business in China. We look forward to continuing playing an important role in reinforcing the intellectual property dialogue mechanism, an essential aspect for improving the transparency and predictability of IP systems.

The project complemented the EU-China IP Dialogue and Working Group, coordinated by the EU and China. In line with it, these activities effectively brought forward the interests of EU businesses by advancing exchanges with China on how to address the specific challenges related to IP rights.

On the occasion of the ninth EU-China High-Level Economic and Trade Dialogue (HED) in July 2022, the Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade, Valdis Dombrovskis, highlighted:

The importance of ensuring a proper level playing field for EU companies operating in China. The EU and China are key trading partners, and we need to continue our dialogue to ensure greater convergence of China towards EU and international standards in IPR protection.

Achievements

Over the past 5 years, the work of IP Key China aimed at facilitating market access to EU firms, businesses and innovators by cooperating with Chinese authorities, businesses associations and other public and private stakeholders. This contribution was carried out by increasing market understanding and improving the implementation of IP legislation and IP enforcement systems in China.

The sound assessments of Chinese legislation provided by IP Key China shed light on the major differences with equivalent IP legislation in the EU. The analysis covered a wide range of aspects such as the response to counterfeiting and piracy, procedures for the treatment of IP disputes, general IP enforcement and insights that were provided to European businesses.

In addition, the project was involved in furthering cooperation with China following the signature of the EU-China bilateral agreement to protect 100 European geographical indications in China and 100 Chinese geographical indications in the EU.

IP Key China also made a substantial contribution in terms of the integration of trade mark data made available by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), which resulted in over 32 million Chinese trademarks becoming available in the trade mark search tool and database ‘TMview’. In 2020, the EUIPO and CNIPA signed the agreement on the exchange of trademark information, agreeing on the mutual exchange of Chinese national trade mark and European Union trade mark data.

Furthermore, a series of seminars and events were organised, while free on-line and onsite trainings by IP experts, publications, factsheets on the Chinese market and case studies were also made available for the benefit of EU companies. Meanwhile, since its creation in 2008, the 24-hour China IP SME Helpdesk service has been answering specific questions to provide a first line IP assistance service for SMEs that operate or intend to access the Chinese market.

Why China?

Mainland China is one of the EU’s key trading partners and IPR are a defining factor of EU businesses generating this trade.

In 2021, China was the third largest partner for the EU’s exports of goods (10.2 %), with EU companies exporting a volume of € 223.4 billion to China, trading mainly machinery and vehicles (52 % of exports to China), other manufactured goods (20 %) and chemicals (15 %). The three largest exporters to China in the EU were Germany (€ 104 655 million), France (€ 24 028 million) and the Netherlands (€ 15 906 million).

The EU’s engagement with China on trade is guided by the 2019 EU Strategic Outlook, which promotes reciprocity, a level playing field and fair competition.

Challenges

Significant legislative progress has been made in recent years. The dialogue mechanisms, engagement of large stakeholders’ networks and IP Key China have vastly contributed to that. In many areas, IPR protection and enforcement is still not sufficiently effective, and challenges such as lack of transparency, and insufficient enforcement of IPRs remain. Substantial concerns exist, in particular regarding the interpretation of patentability requirements, the lack of sufficient legal protection against trade mark applications made in bad faith and the protection provided for trade secrets. An emerging concern is ensuring fair and non-discriminating treatment in competition cases opened against foreign rightsholders.

The future

The next phase of the IP Key China project will look at advancing convergence of Chinese, EU and international standards in IPR protection, with greater focus on law enforcement aspects. Attention will also be paid to strengthening partnerships and strategic engagement with businesses operating in China, as well as industry associations. Future efforts will also aim at ensuring a greater involvement of sectoral institutions in the EU and its Member States in peer-to-peer exchanges with their Chinese counterparts on topics of mutual interest.

NOTE TO EDITORS

WHY FOCUS ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHT (IPR)

IP is a key factor in business competitiveness in the global economy. It secures a return on investment in innovation and is particularly relevant to SMEs as they internationalise their business, but often have limited time and resources and limited knowledge of how IP can be valuable to their business. In addition, the 2020 Action Plan on Intellectual Property aims at strengthening the EU’s economic resilience and recovery by enabling creative and innovative industries in the EU to remain global leaders, and by speeding up Europe’s green and digital transitions.

IP rights are crucial to help protect innovations from competitors, and IP assets are an important source of cash flow through licensing deals or IP sales, as well as a significant pull-factor when attracting investors. A study released in 2019 by the EUIPO and the European Patent Office (EPO) showed that IPR-intensive industries generated almost 45 % of total economic activity (GDP) in the EU, amounting to € 6.6 trillion. They also accounted for 96 % of exports of EU goods to the world. The booming of e-commerce practices due to the pandemic has brought challenging issues for businesses and policymakers who had to deal with exponential rises in online counterfeiting and piracy. These cases involve different types of IPRs such as patents, trade marks, copyrights, and unfair competition – as pointed out by the study.

ABOUT THE EUIPO

The EUIPO is one of the largest decentralised agencies of the EU, based in Alicante, Spain. Ranked as the most innovative intellectual property office in the world in 2021, the EUIPO manages the registration of the European Union trade mark (EUTM) and the registered Community design (RCD), both of which provide IP protection in all EU Member States. It also carries out cooperation activities with the national and regional IP offices of the EU and hosts the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights.

The European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights was established in 2009 to support the protection and enforcement of IPRs and to help combat the growing threat of IP infringement in Europe. It was transferred to the EUIPO on 5 June 2012 by Regulation (EU) No 386/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council, thus reaching its 10th anniversary this year.

ABOUT IP KEY CHINA

The IP Key China is an EU Project created in 2017 to enhance EU-China cooperation on intellectual property. It is co-funded by the European Commission and the EUIPO and implemented at operational level by the EUIPO, through close cooperation with Chinese stakeholders and the involvement of the industry, academia and enforcement and judicial authorities. The IP Key China project supports bilateral dialogue on IP through a broad range of activities.

Moneybase has just announced that customers using the Moneybase Invest app and web platform can now access the US markets during pre- and post-market hours, giving investors an additional 9 and a half hours of trading.

Alan Cuschieri, co-CEO at Calamatta Cuschieri said: “This is yet another first for Malta brought to the market by Moneybase. Investors using the Moneybase platform can now choose to react to market-moving news before markets open for the main session. We are maximising investors’ ability to tap into investment opportunities and also providing convenience around the time investors can make focused decisions. I also wish to take this opportunity to thank our clients for supporting us and ultimately making these features possible.”

With pre-market trading, investors can place orders as early as 10 a.m. and after hours until 2 a.m. in local time (CEST), before and after the U.S. stock exchanges are open. All stocks and ETFs trading on the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq will be available outside regular market hours.

Moneybase users have access to a wide array of investment opportunities with over 20,000 stocks, bonds, funds and ETFs. They can also access extensive payments functionality, including SEPA payments, make use of a personal IBAN on their e-money accounts, pay with a physical and virtual Mastercard, and make instant person –to-person payments. Visit moneybase.com for more information.

Moneybase users are invited to be part of this exciting journey and have their say in shaping the next-generation financial platform by joining the online public roadmap, community page and Facebook group. To access Moneybase, users may download the app from either the Android or Apple Store. Visit www.moneybase.com for more information.

BNF Bank p.l.c. has announced the appointment of Mr Daniel Cutajar as Chief Technology Officer to lead the implementation of the Bank’s IT Strategy and digital transformation.

Throughout his career Mr Cutajar has held several senior management roles with direct experience in the Maltese Financial industry since 2005 and overall IT experience for 23 years. His specialisations include IT service management, project management and software development. He also holds a Master of Business Administration (eBusiness) degree from the University of Malta.

Prior to joining BNF Bank, Mr Cutajar accumulated a wealth of experience as Head of Information Technology at Ferratum Bank, responsible for the IT function and overseeing the Bank’s IT strategy, governance and business continuity. He was also a member of the bank’s Executive Committee and the Group IT Management Committee as well as having chaired the IT Governance, Risk and Compliance Committee.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Cutajar said “It is an honour to join BNF Bank’s Executive Committee as Chief Technology Officer. I’m excited to be driving the Bank’s digital transformation journey forward, and to strengthen BNF’s infrastructure with advanced technology, to ultimately provide customers an exceptional and seamless service they expect.”

Chief Executive Officer Michael Collis welcomed Daniel to the team and said this new role at the Bank will serve to make the bank’s digital trajectory more robust contributing to BNF’s overall strategic and financial strength in the market. BNF Bank has selected the cutting-edge Temenos Transact and Infinity to spearhead the next phase of technological investment of the bank for its Core Banking Transformation.

Daniel Cutajar joins Michael Collis – BNF Bank’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, George Debono – Chief Commercial Officer, Mark Micallef – Chief Financial Officer, Maruska Buttiġieġ Gili – Chief Risk Officer and Dr Jean Noel Cutajar – Chief Legal Officer as members of the BNF Bank’s Executive Management team.

5 chairs, 5 colours, 5 animals, 5 objects, 5 quotes – These are the 5 key elements behind ‘The 5 Chairs’ tool, one of the most innovative and universally applicable self-development tools on the market today.

Created by Louise Evans – Director/Founder at The5Chairs – ‘The 5 Chairs’ is a powerful, transformational tool which forces us to take a good look at ourselves; the way we think, talk, behave and relate in every moment. It changes the way we manage our relationships and lives forever and invites us to bring forth the very best of ourselves in any situation.

We ALL create the atmosphere of our workplaces, the climate in our homes and the culture of our society at large. We are all authors and masters of our own lives. But are we doing our best?

As humans, we have tendencies, especially under stress, to revert to unhelpful, unproductive and defensive behaviours. We do and say things we regret. This has a negative impact on our relationships which then takes a toll on our personal happiness. But we can change this. How?

The 5 Chairs tool consists of 5 differently coloured chairs which act as a mirror to our daily attitudes and behaviours. They invite us to wake up and consciously track the way we are managing ourselves and other people, providing us with constant feedback.

Whether you are managing an organisation, leading a team, parenting a family or navigating any relationship, the 5 Chairs will provide you with a powerful gateway to greater self-awareness, deeper learning and richer relationships. The tool is designed to help you learn, lead and behave more effectively in your professional and private roles.

BENEFITS OF THE 5 CHAIRS TOOL
• A practical tool for heightened self-awareness and self-leadership
• An approach to help understand and manage other people more effectively
• Better self-control and stress management
• Greater ability to stay in positive intention and manage difficult conversations
• Assured development in 3 defining areas: Behavioral Agility, Conscious Communication, Relationship mastery
• A highly effective tool for self-coaching and coaching others
• More productive behaviour both at home and at work

WHY ARE THE 5 CHAIRS EFFECTIVE?
• Very practical – using simple easily digestible concepts and metaphors suitable for all learning styles and accompanied by the highly practical book ‘5 Chairs 5 Choices’
• Very memorable using multisensorial messaging including visual, audio, tactile
• Both simple and profound depending on its application & target audience, ranging from in-depth 5-day leadership training to 18-minute TEDx talk
• Innovative and engaging base on a highly engaging ‘Edutainment’ approach
• Universal – it crosses all cultures, generations, sectors, hierarchies, departments and roles
• Very versatile – has multiple applications: Corporate, Education, Nonprofit, Government
• Just as effective online as in person

The 5 Chairs has a message for everyone. They are designed to nurture, transform and maintain the Human Side of life. If your ambition is to become a truly effective human being in order to better serve yourself and others then The 5 Chairs is the tool for you. These chairs are not for the faint-hearted though. It takes courage to listen to the messages of the Chairs and then act on them. However, once you have internalized the 5 Chairs they will be your companion for life.

FEEDBACK + TESTIMONIALS

Feedback from participants who have taken part in our programs and adopted the core teachings of The 5 Chairs has described it as ‘transformational’, ’highly practical’, ‘extremely original’,‘easily applicable’, ’life-changing’, ‘a life-tool everyone should use’.

“If everyone applied Louise’s guidelines we would live in a decidedly better world’
Franco Moscetto – President OVS Italy

“This is a must for anyone who wants to grow in this world”
Dr. Ing. Gianfranco Michelini – Entrepreneur and Author

Louise Evans will introduce The 5 Chairs to the general public on Thursday 15 September. Please click here to know more.

For the past three years, HSBC Malta Foundation has renewed its commitment to support a range of educational programmes organized by Down Syndrome Association Malta (DSAM). The educational programmes have been specially designed to provide DSAM student members with a plethora of life skills and work-related competencies to better equip them for taking on jobs that suit their talents and interests.

During a visit to HSBC Head Office in Valletta, a number of members from DSAM met with Michel Cordina, Executive Director and Head of Business Development at HSBC Malta. Cordina commented: “At HSBC Malta we feel that DSAM’s mission to help each of their members reach their full potential and lead a happy fulfilling life is something that resonates strongly with us. It is always a genuine pleasure seeing our support providing such a positive and empowering impact.”

DSAM President, Joeanna Xerri said: “These educational programmes serve to upskill and empower our members to be in a better position to lead a more independent life. The support of HSBC Malta Foundation has been pivotal for us in being able to provide these services and encourages us to continue expanding our assistance in a more holistic manner.”

DSAM was set up to encourage people who have Down Syndrome to fulfil their potential for a successful and happy life, in a society that recognises their abilities and is supportive of their needs.

For more information about DSAM, one can visit their website at www.dsa.org.mt