The ongoing program where shopping malls and department stores are given intellectual property-based certification has recently been cited as one of ASEAN best practices.
The commendation was expressed by the Chairman of ASEAN Network of Intellectual Property Enforcement Experts (ANIIE), Christine V. Pangilinan-Canlapan, during its 11th meeting that was held in Manila, Philippines, on 27 and 28 April 2023.
The program itself has already been commenced several years ago as an initiative from the Indonesian IP Office – the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP) – and is carried out by the DGIP’s Directorate of Investigation and Dispute Settlement. The program was successfully made into one of top priorities program by DGIP in 2022.
Under the program, shopping malls and department stores throughout Indonesia are investigated and verified by the DGIP to ensure that there is no tenant in the respective mall or department store that engages in IPR infringing activities such as distributing counterfeit or pirated products. So far there are eighty-nine shopping malls and department stores in twenty-nine provinces of Indonesia that has already received the certification.
According to the ANIIE Chairman, what has been done by Indonesia through this mall certification program can be seen as a model for best practices that other ASEAN countries can adopt and implement in each respective jurisdiction. With the implementation of such program, according to the Chairman, the general public will be greatly benefited as it will become much easier for them to identify on whether or not their shopping destination sells counterfeit or infringing products.
Aside from conducting certification against counterfeit and infringing products for shopping malls and department stores, the DGIP also undertaking similar efforts with electronic commerce platforms. Speaking at the abovementioned ANIIE event, the Head of Indonesian Delegations, Ahmad Rifadi, stated that the DGIP has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with one of Indonesia’s largest e-commerce platforms, Tokopedia. According to the MoU, Tokopedia agreed to share with the DGIP information regarding their merchants for the purpose of investigation and verification against counterfeit products. Drafts of similar MoU with other e-commerce platforms are also under finalization at the moment.