When will European industry learn the American lesson?
The Global Intellectual Property Center is an affiliate of the US Chamber of Commerce. I first came across it last year when it published a paper on the future of the USPTO. Recommendations for Consideration of the Incoming Administration Regarding the US Patent and Trademark Office was a thorough piece of work, put together by a top-level group of individuals. It also seems to have been influential.
Looking at the GIPC website over the weekend, I very quickly came across a very powerful and accessible defence of the importance of intellectual property to the US economy. There were statistics, there was a colourful and well put-together brochure and there was a state-by-state guide to the impact that IP has. The introduction to the brochure pulls no punches: “The task before us is clear and compelling. We must confront the many threats to IP rights and convince citizens and governments at home and abroad about the value of IP and the unique role it plays in fostering growth and progress shared by all.”
