IP Law in Singapore: An Overview

Intellectual property (IP) law — the protection of intellectual creations such as music, artwork, designs, and inventions through copyright, patents, and trademarks — is an area of law that has seen increasing prominence in recent years. In that regard, the tiny island nation of Singapore is currently recognised as one of the premier IP regimes in the world, attracting businesses worldwide to it. The country ranked second overall in the International Property Rights Index 2024, and fifth in the World Trademark Review IP Office Innovation Ranking 2024.

These results alone would be impressive, but are even commendable once you consider how Singapore got to this position in the first place.

Rocky Beginnings

As a former British colony, much of Singapore’s early IP protection came from British legislation such as the Registration of UK Patents Act 1937. In the years immediately post-independence, Singapore only passed two pieces of IP legislation, both of which were rather rudimentary: the Copyright (Gramophone Records on Government Broadcasting) Act 1968, and the Patents (Compulsory Licensing) Act 1969. It would take almost 20 years for further laws on IP to be drafted.

The truth is that this area of law was simply not a priority for a struggling city-state in its early years. Consequently, the poor state of IP protection gave way to rampant piracy, and in 1985, Singapore was designated as a “problem country” by the United States Trade Representative, the US Patent and Trademark Office and the International Intellectual Property Alliance. In fact, US Senator Patrick J. Leahy went so far as to call Singapore the “piracy capital of the world”, a stark contrast to how it is viewed today.

Enacting Change

Pressure from the US government, which was concerned about domestic companies like Pfizer and Microsoft losing profits to piracy, eventually led to Singapore passing the Copyright Act 1987, which has retained effect to this day. The act established copyright protections for original artistic and musical works, television broadcasts, digital content, and more. The Act defines cases of copyright infringement, gives provisions for fair use of copyrighted works, and establishes penalties for infringement.

This was a monumental step in the field of IP law, which quickly began to transform into the state it is today. Singapore at this time began pushing to transition to a knowledge-based economy with a focus on innovation, which necessitated even stronger protections for IP. Accordingly, they joined the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in 1990 and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 1995, leveraging their expertise to pass a barrage of new IP legislation. These were:

• Patents (Amendment) Act 1995

• Trade Marks Act 1998

• Geographical Indications Act 1998

• Copyright (Amendment) Act 1998 and 1999

• Layout Designs of Integrated Circuits Act 1999

The Current Situation

Since 2001, the bulk of Singapore’s IP law enforcement has been carried out by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS). Besides supporting litigation over IP matters, IPOS also works with the Singapore Police Force and the Singapore Customs to prevent imports of pirated materials into the country. Furthermore, they conduct frequent outreach efforts with the wider community, including students and working professionals, aiming to educate them on intellectual property and the various protections available for all forms of it. 

(Fun fact: IPOS was partially responsible for the infamous “You Wouldn't Steal a Car” anti-piracy public service announcement that eventually gained notoriety in the US as a meme.)

Today, one can expect to find harsh penalties for the infringement of IP law in Singapore. For example, under Section 136(3A) of the Copyright Act (Revised Edition 2006), where someone wilfully infringes on copyright to manufacture an article for sale, he may be liable to a fine not exceeding a total of $100,000 per charge and/or $10,000 per infringing copy, or imprisonment of up to five years.

Looking Beyond

In 2021, Singapore unveiled its Singapore IP Strategy (SIPS) 2030, a national strategy which commits to even further development of the IP regime. Among other objectives, SIPS aims to improve the IP law skills of the workforce, continue growing Singapore as a hub for international IP dispute resolution, and implement further protections for IP. These measures will likely cement Singapore’s position as a global IP powerhouse for years to come.

References and Further Reading

“Infringement and Enforcement of IP Law” (IPOS)

“Singapore IP Strategy 2030” (IPOS)

“The Development of Singapore’s Intellectual Property Rights Regime” (The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy)