U.S. Chamber’s GIPC Releases 3rd International IP Index In Asia

By Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah SINGAPORE, March 6 (Bernama) -- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) Thursday released its third annual International IP Index in Asia. “UP: Unlimited Potential” found that 20 of the 30 economies improved their scores from last year, and also highlighted differences between the nations engaged in the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, in regards to IP. Out of 30 possible points, the United States received the highest score of 28.53 points, followed by the UK at 27.61, while Vietnam received the lowest score of 7.84 (Brunei was not studied). Singapore ranked fifth of all economies researched, with a score of 25.38 while Malaysia ranked 12th at 14.62 after Canada at 17.92. The 2015 edition of the Index ranks 30 economies around the world, representing 80 per cent of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP). The Index is based on 30 measurable criteria critical to innovation including patent, copyright, trademark and trade secrets protections, enforcement, and engagement in international treaties. Speaking at the release of the report here Thursday, GIPC executive vice president Mark Elliot said: “This report clearly shows a wide disparity when it comes to IP protections among the 12 nations negotiating the pending TPP agreement. "This underscores the importance of implementing a high IP standard as part of the trade deal in order to protect innovation around the world. "IP drives innovation and leads to strong economies with good-paying jobs, something every country hopes to achieve. The Index serves as a tool for governments around the world to hear directly from the business community about the conditions necessary for an innovative economy.” The Index ranks the economies in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Peru, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vietnam. -- BERNAMA