ASPEC+: Enhancing Consistency and Speed in ASEAN Patent Prosecution 22 May 2026 The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), together with other ASEAN IP offices, has announced the launch of the ASEAN Patent Examination Co‑operation Plus (ASPEC+) programme with effect from 6 April 2026. ASPEC+ is a new option under the existing ASPEC framework. Developed under Singapore’s leadership as Chair of the ASEAN Patents Task Force, ASPEC+ is designed to deliver more closely harmonised patent examination outcomes within committed timelines. The programme offers applicants a more predictable and efficient pathway to patent protection across multiple ASEAN jurisdictions. A Key Shift: From Sequential to Collaborative Under the original ASPEC programme, examination proceeds on a sequential basis. An office action issued by one ASEAN IP office may later be submitted to another office to help accelerate examination there. ASPEC+ represents a significant shift from this approach. It adopts a collaborative, parallel examination model, allowing applicants to select multiple ASEAN Member State (AMS) IP offices—namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam—to work together during the search and examination phase. Through the exchange of expertise and examination insights, the participating offices aim to issue identical or similar examination results within committed timeframes. How ASPEC+ Works: an overview The ASPEC+ programme operates through a sophisticated, multi-stage collaborative framework designed to harmonize patent examination across Southeast Asia. Unlike the standard sequential process, this flow relies on continuous information exchange between participating offices to reach a consistent conclusion. Here is a detailed breakdown of the examination lifecycle as outlined in the programme's official flowchart: 1. The Initial Filing and Office Designation The process begins with the Applicant filing an ASPEC+ request simultaneously at each of their selected ASEAN Member State (AMS) IP Offices. During this step, the applicant must clearly designate one office as Office A and the others as Office B(s). It is important to note that while Malaysia can serve as an Office B, it cannot be designated as the lead Office A. 2. Primary Examination by Office A Once formalities are completed, Office A takes the lead by conducting the initial search and substantive examination. They are responsible for drafting the first comprehensive search and examination report. This report serves as the foundation for the collaborative phase. 3. Collaborative Review by Office B(s) After Office A completes its report, it shares the document directly with all designated Office B(s). The examiners at Office B then review Office A’s findings while conducting their own search and examination. This ensures that multiple perspectives and regional prior art databases are considered. 4. Cross-Office Information Exchange Following their review, Office B shares its own report back with Office A and any other participating Office B(s). This creates a loop of shared expertise, where all involved offices have access to the collective search results and examination rationales of their peers. 5. Final Harmonization and Issuance In the final technical phase, Office A and Office B(s) collectively review and discuss the combined findings. The goal of this discussion is to determine if it is possible to issue identical or similar examination results. If consensus is reached: The offices will issue their respective national reports containing identical or similar results, providing the applicant with high predictability. If consensus is not possible: Due to differences in national legislation or local practices, the offices will proceed to issue their respective national reports with different results. 6. Delivery to the Applicant The cycle concludes when all offices issue their final national reports to the Applicant. Under this collaborative model, the target timeline for the applicant to receive these first office actions is 10 to 14 months from the date formalities are completed, depending on the complexity of the application. Five Key Benefits for ASPEC+ 1. Option to choose your preferred IP Offices Applicants are no longer constrained by a fixed examination sequence. Offices can be selected based on commercial priorities and target markets. 2. Receive the first office action within 10 to 14 months ASPEC+ offers a defined timeline, with the first office action expected within 10 to 14 months across the selected offices. This provides earlier and more reliable insight into the status of multiple applications at the same time. 3. Benefit from enhanced search and examination results By enabling examiners to share prior art searches and examination perspectives, ASPEC+ benefits from enhanced search and examination results through an exchange of expertise between the selected IP offices. 4. Possibility of receiving identical or similar examination results Although each office remains legally independent, the shared objective of issuing similar or identical results significantly reduces the risk of divergent examination outcomes across countries. 5. Optimise patent prosecution effort, time and resources Where examination reports are aligned, applicants and their advisers can prepare coordinated and simultaneous responses, reducing duplication of effort, legal costs, and overall prosecution time. With the launch of ASPEC+, ASEAN continues to strengthen its position for intellectual property protection and innovation, demonstrating a clear commitment to addressing business needs and supporting regional growth. The original ASPEC programme remains available. However, for applicants seeking faster prosecution, greater harmonisation, and more predictable timelines across multiple ASEAN markets, ASPEC+ would be a powerful new strategic option.