1. In a significant move to bolster the regional intellectual property (IP) ecosystem, the ASEAN Patent Examination Co-operation Plus (ASPEC+) programme was officially launched on 6 April 2026.
  2. The launch was announced by Director General Mr Hermansyah Siregar of the Directorate General of Intellectual Property, on behalf of the Minister of Law of the Republic of Indonesia, H.E. Mr. Supratman Andi Agtas, at the 78th ASEAN Working Group on IP Cooperation (AWGIPC) Meeting.
  3. ASPEC+ is a new option offered under the established ASPEC programme. Led by the ASEAN Patents Task Force under the chairmanship of Singapore, ASPEC+ builds on years of successful work-sharing cooperation between the ASEAN IP Offices and is designed to deliver more closely harmonised patent reports and committed timelines.
  4. For businesses and innovators in ASEAN and beyond, ASPEC+ provides more predictable patent examination outcomes and timelines, offering greater confidence to scale their businesses across the ASEAN region.
  5. For the ASEAN IP Offices, it is an opportunity to add value to our stakeholders, and enhance examination quality through deeper collaboration among the ASEAN IP Offices’ examiners.
  6. Through the combination of ASPEC and ASPEC+, ASEAN aims to strengthen our position as an attractive destination for IP and innovation.
More information on  the ASPEC+ programme can be accessed here.