G8 on IP

On thing that the G8 leaders, meeting in Japan, seem to have agreed on is that intellectual property is a jolly good thing. So good in fact that they want it better protected.

Speculation is rife, including in the Guardian, that they want to ratify an Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (Acta), which will empower border control agencies to search for intellectual property infringement. It is claimed that this may give customers officers the power to search individual users' laptops and MP3 players for illegal downloads.

A quick look at the Report of the G8 Intellectual Property Experts’ Group Meeting reveals other issues on the agenda. The group reaffirms its commitment to the merits of a 'well functioning and efficient' IP system. and outlines the following measures:

1. Advancing our anti-counterfeiting and piracy initiatives
2. Facilitating an efficient and fully functioning IP system conducive to economic
development (including patent law harmonisation)
3. Promoting the benefits of IPR as a development tool of economy and
innovation
4. Enhancing Cooperation with emerging economies through the Heiligendamm
Process

The IPKat is rather suspicious of anything which is so wholeheartedly in favour of IP, without mentioning the need to balance between the rights of owners, competitors and users, though he suspects anything so detailed would be beyond the ambit of a general summit of world leaders. As for individuals being stopped at customs, the IPKat reckons this would be too costly and time consuming to do on a large scale.