(ip) hub master plan - Ministry of Law

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acquisition of IP assets, enforcement of IP rights). Hence, attracting more companies and intermediaries to manage their IP portfolios and site IP management functions in Singapore will add greatly to the IP ecosystem in terms of high-end employment creation and creating knock-on demand for IP support services. 7.2.2. Singapore already enjoys a compelling set of attributes of being a trusted, neutral node and a vibrant city with strong IP protection regime. Singapore is home to more than 37,000 international companies, and over 60% of the MNCs have their global or regional headquarters here, together with senior “C-suite” management, as well as key corporate functions like strategic business planning and R&D. 7.2.3. Singapore should leverage this high concentration of MNCs to develop itself as the hub for companies to aggregate their regional, or even global, supply of and demand for IP rights. The C-suite executives, especially executives like the Chief IP Officers, Chief Technology Officers, and Chief Legal Officers, support and drive the development and implementation of IP-related product / market strategies. Consequently, we should attract and reach out to these professionals to do more out of Singapore. This will also maximise the synergies between the IP, technology, business and legal aspects of the companies in a holistic fashion, given the strengths of these supporting industries in Singapore. If we can harness this opportunity, Singapore can be one of the key locations in Asia for both the sale and procurement of IP assets, licenses and franchises. 7.2.4. With globalisation, companies are constantly looking at how they can structure their IP business functions across various jurisdictions to best support their international operations and gain maximum strategic advantage, with the tax environment often being one of the major considerations. In recent years, several countries have implemented various tax measures to encourage, attract and anchor downstream IP activities. A number of countries, mainly in Europe, have enacted the IP Box regime which provides for a reduced effective tax rate on qualifying income from IP, including patents, trademarks and copyrights. They include France (2001), China (2005), Belgium (2007), Netherlands (2008), and the UK (2013). As companies become more mobile, we need to make our IP-related tax system a more competitive one. 7.2.5. Singapore has likewise introduced several IP-specific tax measures to promote IP transaction and management activities, thereby attracting foreign investments: Automatic writing down allowance for acquisition of IP; 61
Unilateral tax credit for royalty income to offset withholding tax liabilities with countries without a double tax agreement with Singapore; Lower withholding tax on royalty payments; EDB’s Development and Expansion Incentive (DEI) scheme that provides concessionary tax rates on qualifying IP income for substantive activities in Singapore. 7.2.6. Singapore also has an extensive Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) network with our major trade partners, which reduces withholding tax on royalties. Nonetheless, in the face of increased global competition as countries start to expand their DTA networks, Singapore should study whether our current tax regime remains attractive to technology, franchising and licensing companies, and whether more enhancements are required to strengthen our position as a choice destination from which to transact, manage and commercialise IP. Recommendation 6-1 Implement an IP Box or similar tax regime to provide greater transparency and certainty in Singapore’s IP tax regime. 7.2.7. The Committee recommends that the Government adopt an IP Box or equivalent tax regime, even for IP not created in Singapore. The Committee notes that EDB’s DEI scheme also incentivises IP-related income such as licensing revenue and trading gains, and has been successful in attracting MNCs to manage their IP portfolios from Singapore. However, this can be enhanced with a broad-based scheme like the IP Box which confers greater transparency and certainty on the tax incentives. It also sends a strong signal of the Government’s commitment to develop Singapore into a Global IP Hub in Asia and grows Singapore’s global IP reputation. To enjoy the tax benefits of the IP Box, IP owners must have substantive management and decision-making functions anchored here. 7.3. A PROGRESSIVE IP ENVIRONMENT THAT PROMOTES ADVANCED IP THINKING 7.3.1. We must aim to build an environment that reflects a progressive and forward looking approach in all aspects of the IP discipline. Singapore should seek to be the hotbed where innovative IP business models and services, or innovations themselves, especially those targeting the Asian market, are tested and launched. With its global and regional interconnectedness, Singapore should seek to be the Asian nexus for discourse and research on the latest global and regional IP trends and developments, and how IP regimes, businesses and services should adapt and 62
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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (IP) HUB MAST
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1 March 2013 Mr K Shanmugam Ministe
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28 March 2013 Mr Teo Ming Kian Chai
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CHAPTER 6 - ENABLER 1: SKILLED MANP
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Strategic outcome 2: A hub for qual
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filings in Singapore. In addition,
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as to enhance Singapore’s tax env
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Recommendation international IP con
Page 17 and 18: 1.2.2. To assist the formulation of
Page 19 and 20: 1.3.6. Within Asia, IP is a rapidly
Page 21 and 22: International Institute for Managem
Page 23 and 24: CHAPTER 2 KEY STRATEGIC OUTCOMES AN
Page 25 and 26: Asian payments). 4,13 In other word
Page 27 and 28: 2.6. ENABLER 2: A CONDUCIVE AND PRO
Page 29 and 30: 3.1.3. There is potential for Singa
Page 31 and 32: take place. The availability of mar
Page 33 and 34: 3.2.10. A digital copyright licensi
Page 35 and 36: 3.3.4. Although IP financing is a m
Page 37 and 38: 3.3.10. The Committee recommends th
Page 39 and 40: C. IP Funds 3.3.16. There has been
Page 41 and 42: level of confidence and trust in IP
Page 43 and 44: CHAPTER 4 STRATEGIC OUTCOME 2: A HU
Page 45 and 46: ecommendations to ensure that their
Page 47 and 48: with the key features being the abi
Page 49 and 50: 4.3. INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION WI
Page 51 and 52: B. Collaboration within ASEAN 4.3.8
Page 53 and 54: 4.4.5. Singapore-qualified patent a
Page 55 and 56: streamlined procedures which have m
Page 57 and 58: practitioners and rights holders. M
Page 59 and 60: Conventional preference and familia
Page 61 and 62: CHAPTER 6 ENABLER 1: SKILLED MANPOW
Page 63 and 64: 6.2.3. The IPCF provides tailored a
Page 65 and 66: lateral movement and vertical progr
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Page 73 and 74: CHAPTER 8 CONCLUSION 8.1. The globa
Page 75 and 76: S/N Name Designation 10. Mr Suresh
Page 77 and 78: S/N Name Designation 14. Dr WONG Wo
Page 79 and 80: S/N Name Designation 12. Mr Sivanan
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(ip) hub master plan - Ministry of Law

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