Gregory So, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development recently and his Canadian counterpart, the Honourable Ed Fast (Minister of International Trade in Canada), recently announced the singing of the Canada-Hong Kong Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (otherwise known as a FIPA) during the APEC meeting on May 23, 2015. Canada-HK negotiations for a FIPA have been ongoing since 2014 and Hong Kong is a clear priority market under the Global Markets Action Plan. The main purposes of a FIPA are to establish clear investment rules and measures to protect foreign investors against discriminatory or arbitrary government practices, to provide effective compensation in the event of an expropriation and to enhance the overall predictability of the policy framework governing foreign investments. The existence of a FIPA has often proven to be useful in terms of promoting the parties’ respective markets as a stable destination for investment with clearly defined and enforceable rules. In fact, foreign investors often look to the existence of a strong investment protection agreement as a key consideration in their decision-making process. For more information please see the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada website....
Read MoreMichael Woods quoted in the Globe and Mail
Michael Woods, Senior Partner at Woods, LaFortune LLP, was recently quoted in the Globe and Mail’s U.S. Accelerates Efforts to Reach TPP Agreement, an article written by Marcel Sangsari. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which includes 12 countries and covers approximately 40% of the global economy, has stirred up a lot of controversy since a draft version of the agreement was leaked to the public. Although negotiations have been slow moving, there may be new-found promise for the TPP, according to Michael Woods, “The real decider here is the Japanese. If the U.S. and Japan can get on the same page … there will be big encouragement for TPP partners to move together, fast and … you may have an agreement this summer.”...
Read MoreThe Power of Networking: Women in Technology and Defence
Woods, LaFortune LLP is proud to have partnered with Allam Advisory Group in sponsoring the U.S. Commercial Service in Ottawa’s highly anticipated event: The Power of Networking: Women in Technology and Defence, taking place on Wednesday May 6, 2015 from 4:30pm-6:30pm at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa. The event will be hosted by Vicki Heyman – philanthropist, ideas enthusiast, fundraiser and community advocate and the wife of the U.S. Ambassador to Canada – and will bring together professionals in the technology and defence sectors with the goal of fostering synergies into new business relationships. When: Wednesday, May 6, 2015 from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. Where: U.S. Embassy Ottawa, MacKenzie Avenue Entrance RSVP: To 613-688-5406 or Tracey.Ford@trade.gov by Friday, May 1, 2015. Sponsored by: ...
Read MoreExporting to Canada from the United States
In the short presentation below, Catherine Walsh of Woods, LaFortune LLP talks about Exporting to Canada from the United States and the increasing amounts of opportunity for trade across the border. Learn about the export plan, marketing plan and rules and regulations that apply to those doing business in Canada. The presentation also highlights key trends and opportunities in the Canadian market and touches on the importance of protection your intellectual property on an international scale. Please visit http://globalbusinessprofessor.com/exporting-to-canada-by-catherine-walsh for the full...
Read MoreProtecting Your IP in Global Markets
With businesses increasingly entering and operating in new international markets, proper and effective IP protection in the global marketplace has become a growing concern for many Canadian SMEs. IP can often be a company’s most valuable asset – it can strengthen your position in export markets and increase enterprise value. It is therefore very important to take the necessary steps to properly protect your IP before entering a foreign market. Don’t wait until you are faced with infringement or a legal dispute before thinking about IP protection for your business. Be proactive and plan ahead! Failure to properly research and know about IP rules and regulations in the market in which you are conducting business could expose you to unnecessary costs and higher risks that could ultimately have a detrimental impact on your bottom line. One of the most important things for businesses to know about IP in international markets, is that IP protection is not universal. Thinking that a successful application for IP protection in Canada automatically grants protection in any other country is perhaps the most common mistake made by Canadian SMEs. IP protection only expands as far as the national border in which it is registered. So, if you register your IP in Canada, you are only protected in Canada, and are not afforded extended protection in any other international market. IP rights are territorial and national IP offices can only grant protection for their respective national jurisdiction. Therefore, before entering a new international market, it is crucial for Canadian businesses to seek and ensure proper IP protection in all of the international markets in which your business will operate to ensure the best commercial results from ownership of your business IP. So how do you protect you IP in multiple international markets? Typically, there are two main options: (1) a series of individual national applications; and (2) international applications. 1- National Applications – The national application route requires the applicant to seek IP protection in each individual country in which they plan to conduct business according to each country’s domestic laws and regulations (i.e. by applying directly to the respective national Industrial/Intellectual Property Offices of...
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