New Revised Enhanced Mediation Promotion Scheme (REMPS) of IPOS
The IP Office of Singapore (IPOS) has recently announced the Revised Enhanced Mediation Promotion Scheme (REMPS) starting from the beginning of April 2022.
Revised Enhanced Mediation Promotion Scheme (REMPS)
The Revised Enhanced Mediation Promotion Scheme (REMPS) is a funding scheme by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) to cover part of the parties’ mediation costs.
- The funding covers:
- Fees charged by the mediation service provider;
- Mediator’s fees;
- up to 80% of mediation-related lawyer/agent fees (and mediation-related disbursements charged by the party’s lawyer/agent).
With the REMPS, parties engaged in IPOS proceedings will be more motivated to choose mediation rather than the court, significantly turning the mediation into an attractive alternative to a hearing at IPOS.
IPOS established REMPS in alignment with its Singapore IP Strategy 2030 (SIPS 2030). REMPS is available for 3 years beginning on April 1, 2022.
The details of the REMPS
Mediation offers a more cost-effective and speedy alternative to hearings. More importantly, it is also the more peaceful resolution method, meaning that there is still space left for future cooperation.
In recent times, REMPS has become an even more feasible option for individual IP owners, micro, small, medium enterprises, and startups, especially in cases of cross-jurisdictional disputes.
Within the REMPS initiative, businesses with IP disputes over Singapore and foreign IP rights will receive the necessary funding for the mediation solution, regardless of the mediation outcome.
Under the REMPS, the following support will be supplied to the businesses:
- An increased funding quantum of about 17 percent or up to S$14,000 (US$10,262) for dispute cases involving Singapore and foreign IP rights.
- Funding of up to S$10,000 (US$7,330) will be provided for disputes involving only Singapore IP rights.
From the funding, parties can claim up to 80 percent of mediation-related lawyer/agent fees and disbursements. If there is only one party applies for funding under REMPS, that party can claim up to S$3,000 (US$2,199) per mediation case.
Expert opinions
With more and more disputes ending up in court, the REMPS, an extension of IPOS’s Enhanced Mediation Promotion Scheme (EMPS) came at the right time, right place.
Discussing the importance of this initiative, Mark Lim, chief legal counsel/director, hearings and mediation, IPOS stated: “The REMPS encourages parties in IPOS proceedings to choose mediation by partially funding the process so that more can experience mediation as an attractive option to resolve their disputes amicably.”
Mr. Lim further added: “With an increase in the uptake of mediation, and the availability of case studies on actual mediations with more details, including the names of the parties, their advisers, the mediators, and the mediation institution, we hope to promote a mindset change among users and lawyers such that they recognize that mediation is a valuable service worth paying for.”
Detailing how the mediation is far better than hearing, Lim expressed his point of view on how the REMPS will support the fast and convenient dispute resolution between parties: “Typically, litigation, requiring legal action in every jurisdiction individually, would take an average of two or more years to resolve and entails high costs to file evidence and submissions in the language of the jurisdiction. Mediation, on the other hand, can converge every jurisdiction’s dispute in a single setting and result in a win-win outcome in a matter of days, saving time and money in the process.”
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