Last week’s Economist article, “What a waste: How India is throwing away the world’s biggest economic opportunity,” is a must read. The crux of the argument lies in the belief that India was seen as the next great success story for the developing world. With democratic reforms and, in theory, a more liberalized economy, the rise of this Asian nation had the capability to make the 21st century an economic success story for the Indian people. .
Meet Jorge Avila. As the President of the Brazilian National Industrial Property Office, Mr. Avila is naturally an advocate of strong intellectual property rights. But how, specifically, does IP create jobs and promote a stronger, more competitive Brazilian economy? In our interview with Mr. Avila, he describes how respect for the innovative process is integral to the growth of a variety of sectors in Brazil, from agriculture to biotechnology to tourism.
Many have attempted to tackle the critical question of how to define the size and scope of intellectual property theft and its impact on the U. S. economy. Fortunately, the Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property, spearheaded by Governor Jon Huntsman and Admiral Dennis Blair, has taken on this important task and released their findings earlier today. We commend Admiral Blair and Ambassador Huntsman for their leadership of the Commission, and for their steadfast effort to highlight the growing “hemorrhage” of intellectual property (IP) theft.
Faking… can always be a sensitive subject. But this type of boudoir fakery is downright dangerous. Last week, Chinese authorities arrested 37 individuals for masterminding and running a massive condom counterfeiting ring from the rural province of Fujian. Police confiscated Some 4.65 million fake condoms destined for online retailers and international clientele.
When we think about intellectual property (IP) issues, it’s easy to focus on the bad guys—the criminal organizations, the plotting foreign governments, the online pirates, the counterfeiters, and the hacktivists—and the dangerous consequences of their illicit activities. They pose very real threats in a global economy. But there’s a positive side to the story that sometimes gets lost in the debate over IP rights.
