The US Chamber of Commerce Global Innovation Policy Centre (GIPC) recently released its 6th annual International Intellectual Property (IP) Index, “Create”.
“Create” analyses IP climate in 50 economies around the world using 40 unique indicators that benchmark activity critical to innovation development surrounding patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secrets protection.
“The results of this year’s Index illustrate a growing global commitment to IP-driven creativity and innovation,” said President and CEO of GIPC David Hirschmann, as reported by OpenGov online portal.
“The majority of countries took steps to strengthen their IP systems and foster an environment that encourages and incentivizes creators to bring their ideas to market. While a clear pack of leaders in IP protection top the rankings, the leadership gap has narrowed in a new global race to the top,” he continued.
The latest 2018 Index added 6 new indicators in the areas of commercialisation and systemic efficiency to provide a more complete, bottom-to-top picture of the investments countries are making in support of domestic innovation and creativity.
Under the category of systemic efficiency, the 3 new indicators are: (1) inter-governmental coordination of IP rights enforcement efforts, (2) consultation with stakeholders during IP policy formation, and (3) educational campaigns and awareness-raising.
Among the top 50 economies, Southeast Asian tremendously doing well in this area and herewith the excerpts and rankings of most nations in the region:
| Rank | Country | 2018 IP Index Score (%) | 2017 IP Index Score (%) |
| 9 | Singapore | 84 | 82 |
| 23 | Malaysia | 49.1 | 48.7 |
| 35 | Brunei | 38 | 41 |
| 38 | Philippines | 34.5 | 33.7 |
| 40 | Vietnam | 33 | 30 |
| 41 | Thailand | 31 | 27 |
| 43 | Indonesia | 30 | 27.5 |
Why is this index important?
The index aspires to provide a blueprint for creating innovative and creative sectors through an effective IP architecture.
“There is still work to be done, and we hope governments will use this Index as a blueprint to further improve their IP ecosystems and grow competitive, knowledge-based economies. When countries invest in strong IP systems, we all benefit,” Hirschmann concluded.
Source : Global Intellectual Property Official website and report
