6 December 2006 Pre-Budget Report 2006 Investing in Britain's potential: Building our long-term future
CHAPTER 3 MEETING THE PRODUCTIVITY CHALLENGE
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Gowers Review
3.79 In 2005, the Government asked Andrew Gowers to conduct a wide-ranging independent review into the UK’s intellectual property regime to ensure that it is supporting UK innovation and the creative industries in a time of rapid global economic change and increased global competition. The Gowers Review of Intellectual Property (IP) reports its recommendations to the Government alongside this Pre-Budget Report,setting out a vision of an IP system that is fit for the 21st century.The Review has considered the challenges of globalisation and technological change, and sets out a strategic vision of a system that is balanced, coherent and flexible, ensuring that the operations of the system work for businesses and consumers.
3.80 The Gowers Review argues that, faced with the twin challenges of profound global and technological change, innovation has never been more important to economic competitiveness in the UK, and that an effective IP regime is essential to support that innovation and investment. This requires that IP rights must be effectively enforced to protect and promote innovation and ensure that businesses benefit from their own creativity. It also requires that businesses and innovators be appropriately supported in their use of the IP system. IP rights must also be balanced, so that, while ideas are protected, future innovation is not stifled. The Review’s recommendations are set out in more detail in Box 3.10. Gowers Review
Government response to Gowers
3.81 The Government welcomes the Gowers Review and will take forward those recommendations for which it is responsible. The Government firmly believes in the need for strong enforcement of IP rights to support the UK’s creative industries. The Government is therefore today endorsing the full Gowers enforcement package to tackle piracy and other IP infringement and is providing Trading Standards with an additional £5 million in 2007-08 in order to support the implementation of their new powers to tackle copyright infringement. To ensure that IP policy is strategically formulated in the future, the Government also supports the creation of an independent Strategic Advisory Board for IP policy. This Board will receive £500,000 from the Patent Office to commission research on emerging IP trends. The Government notes the recommendation to the European Commission on copyright term.
Full report
Gowers Review
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