Netherlands an IP leader, according to report
Law firm Taylor Wessing has released its fifth report into the assessment of how intellectual property regimes of global jurisdictions compare to one another.
The Global Intellectual Property Index 5th Report (GIPI5), released today, June 14, compares IP regimes in 43 jurisdictions based on their accessibility, ease of enforcing rights and legal framework.
Now in its fifth edition, the report covers all aspects of IP including patents, trademarks and copyright, as well as designs and data protection.
The results are gathered from a worldwide survey of IP owners and users with more than 8,500 assessments and 61 objective factors.
The report has added seven new jurisdictions—Colombia, Egypt, Malaysia, Nigeria, Norway, Taiwan and Vietnam—since last year.
The Netherlands is at the top of the table for overall rankings , followed by Germany and the UK, while the US is in the bottom half of the table (24th).
The report also asked respondents to identify the single most important IP issue they face, as well as which countries they see as the key growth markets over the next five years and their own perception of IP trends.
The unitary patent was named frequently as the most important IP issue, while counterfeiting and piracy remain a “fundamental” concern.
China, Japan, India, the US, Brazil, Vietnam and South East Asia are also named most frequently for growth.
Despite Germany being ranked top for trademarks, the UK Intellectual Property Office and the European Union Intellectual Property Office were named as having the “best” and “most effective” trademark regimes.
The UK tops the overall rankings for patents, followed by Germany and the Netherlands. Egypt and Nigeria lie at the bottom of the rankings.
The Netherlands also tops the copyright rankings, with Germany second and Canada third.
For designs, the European Community lies in first place, followed by Netherlands and Germany.
Russia lies in last place for data protection, with Taiwan placing first.
Roland Mallinson, partner and editor of GIPI5, said: “It is crucial that all IP regimes are reviewed and updated on a constant basis. Those that are not will hamper the innovation, entrepreneurialism and competiveness of their domestic businesses and discourage inward investment into their countries.”
