UNUnited Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Press Releases 1999

[Index]      

Geneva, 15 June 1999

ECE/TRADE/99/12

PROTECTING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS AND BOOSTING INVESTMENT IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE AND THE CIS

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, through its Committee for Trade, Industry and Enterprise Development, recently decided to establish an Advisory Group to help tackle the problem of protecting intellectual property rights in the transition economies of central and eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The Advisory Group, comprising representatives of both government and the business sector, will provide countries with technical assistance and advice. It will begin its activities in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Counterfeiting and copying of goods is costing Governments throughout Europe millions of dollars in lost tax revenues and investment. Seeing their competitiveness undermined, companies are reluctant to invest in countries where such counterfeiting and the copying of goods is widespread. Domestic companies are also reluctant to invest in research and development and banks will not accept patents or other intellectual property as loan collateral.

In a joint effort with Governments and the private sector, the new Group will organize training programmes and raise awareness among the local business community as to the use of intellectual property rights. It will also build links between enforcement officials and the business community so as to improve implementation and protection.

The Group's activities should help countries to attract a higher quality of foreign direct investment (FDI), as well as to comply more rapidly with important international standards and commitments in the area of intellectual property rights.

"The priority is to attract investment into the creative, innovative and high technology industries of central and eastern Europe and the CIS", says Dr. Carol Cosgrove-Sacks, Director of the UN/ECE Trade Division. "Governments have already shown strong commitment to opening up their economies and are introducing new legislation that meets the highest standards. But they lack the resources to implement and enforce these laws". Under this new initiative, the private sector will take on a shared responsibility for implementing the projects.

Ms. Michaela Eglin, Geneva-based representative of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), said that her organization was fully behind the UN/ECE initiative."The ICC" she said " particularly supports the concept of a public-private partnership. Governments and companies have a common interest in creating an environment favourable to investment and innovation and one key to this is to establish an effective system for protecting intellectual property " . She added that the business community wished to actively contribute to government efforts to improve the intellectual property frameworks in their countries and that the ICC would actively support and participate in the Group.

The Group will also work closely with the World Intellectual Property Organization and the World Trade Organization, both of which, together with the ICC, had actively cooperated with UN/ECE in the preparations for this new initiative.

For further information on the Advisory Group and on UN/ECE's work regarding the protection of intellectual property rights, please contact:

Mr. Geoffrey Hamilton
Trade Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Palais des Nations
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Tel: + 4122 917 28 38
Fax:+ 4122 917 00 37
E-mail: [email protected]