This book centres on the discussion of intellectual property law in Singapore. The chapters are categorised into six Parts: Introduction; Copyright; Patents, Innovation and Inventions; Designs; Trade Marks, Passing Off and Unfair Competition; and Confidential Information. Each Part is written with the objective that it may be studied on its own. However, as there may be overlapping rights between the categories, cross-referencing between Parts and chapters is necessary. Singapore’s intellectual property law, like that in many other countries, is intricately bound to a larger set of international legal norms and standards. Therefore, the study of this branch of the law is not complete without consideration of the historical perspectives as well as the influences of international treaties and conventions in the different categories of intellectual property.
In this book, references are made to the legal positions in several jurisdictions around the world, such as the UK, the European Union, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, with a view to: (a) providing comparisons between the law in Singapore and the others; (b) offering possible or alternative interpretations in areas where the law in Singapore is unsettled; and (c) providing an indication of evolving legal trends in the area and the challenges they may bring to policymakers.