Press Release
ECE/TRADE/00/5
Geneva, 11 April 2000
UN/ECE Advisory Group for the Protection of
Intellectual Property Rights for Investment
Consultative Meeting
Tallinn, Estonia, 6-7 April 2000
To help attract investment into the creative,
innovative and high technology industries of central and eastern Europe and the
Commonwealth of Independent States, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
(UN/ECE) has established an Advisory Group for the Protection of Intellectual Property
Rights for Investment. On 6 and 7 April, the Group met representatives of the
Estonian Government and the private sector to discuss the environment for intellectual
property rights and their use in Estonia and to make recommendations for improvement.
This meeting, hosted by Estonia, was
part of a pilot project for country consultations by the Advisory Group. The
recommendations emanating from this meeting are to be presented next month to the Estonian
authorities.
They deal with the following areas:
- Current law on intellectual
property rights
- General administration of intellectual
property rights
- How the law can better be enforced
- Links between intellectual property and
investment, particularly in high
technology and creative industries
- Education and training required
- Public awareness campaigns.
Estonia has an excellent legislative
structure for supporting intellectual property rights. However, as in quite a few
countries, enforcement could be improved. In this respect, there is an obvious need for
education and training programmes.
The general public is relatively
unaware of the value and significance of intellectual property rights. For instance, there
is little understanding of their positive effects on consumer safety, investment and
employment, government tax revenues, the fight against organized crime and the promotion
of local culture.
The recommendations from the meeting
will therefore include suggested ways to improve enforcement, identify training needs and
encourage education and information campaigns.
For more information, please contact:
Virginia Cram-Martos
Chief, Trade and Investment Promotion Section
Trade Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Tel: (+41 22) 917 27 45
Fax: (+41 22) 917 00 37
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.unece.org/trade/ctied/tradedir/trddir_h.htm
In order to provide
you with a better service, we would appreciate it if you would send a copy of your
article to: Information
Unit, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE), Palais des Nations, Room
356, CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland,
Tel: +(41 22) 917 44 44, Fax: +(41 22) 917
05 05,
E-mail: [email protected], Website: http://www.unece.org
Thank you. |