PACIFIC BASIN ECONOMIC COUNCIL
MAIN PAGE | EVENTS & PROGRAMS | 1999 | INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Intellectual Property: TRIPs and Beyond May 20-21, 1999 Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Hong Kong, China   Mr. Richard L. Donaldson, Chairman of the PBEC Working Committee on Technology, greets Dr. Morris Chang, Chairman and President, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., at the PBEC Intellectual Property Conference "TRIPs and Beyond," held 20-21 May, 1999 in Hong Kong. Mr. John J. N. Chyi, Vice President of Legal Affairs, Compal Electronics, Inc. (Chinese Taipei) discusses patent protection issues. Ms. Zhengying Wu, Director, Chemical Examination Department, State Intellectual Property Office, People's Republic of China, remarking on patent protection issues. On May 20-21, The Pacific Basin Economic Council (PBEC) Working Committee on Technology held an Intellectual Property Conference, "TRIPs And Beyond," in Hong Kong, China. The conference brought together leading experts from the private and public sectors to discuss issues surrounding the implementation and enforcement of obligations under the WTO's Trade Related Intellectual Property (TRIPs) Agreement. Prominent participants included Dr. Morris Chang, Chairman and President, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., The Honorable Randall R. Rader, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (which is responsible for hearing all intellectual property-related appeals), and The Honorable Anthony Rogers, Court of Appeal, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The Committee was also pleased to have Mr. Adrian Otten, Director of the Intellectual Property Division at the World Trade Organization, Mr. Will Robinson of the World Customs Organization, and Mr. Richard Wilder of the World Intellectual Property Organization, speak on enforcement issues. Conference panel discussions examined issues relating to patent protection, trademarks, copyright protection, and trade secrets. The purpose of the conference was to support efforts by Pacific Rim economies to work together to ensure full implementation of the TRIPs Agreement and to raise the level of awareness about the importance of TRIPs obligations. Under the TRIPs Agreement, developed economies were obligated to conform national legislation to TRIPs standards by January 1, 1996, and developing economies were obligated to conform national legislation by January 1, 2000. As this deadline approaches, the need to work progressively towards full implementation increases in importance. "Intellectual property rights provide powerful incentives for creativity and innovation, encouraging people and companies to research and develop new production and product technologies, market new products and create artistic works," says Richard Donaldson, Chairman of the PBEC Working Committee on Technology, and Senior Vice President of Texas Instruments and General Patent Counsel. Conference presentations and dialogue confirmed that strong intellectual property protection is beneficial to every economy. Through the strong protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, an economy can develop a broad range of important industries that are heavily dependent on investments and on research, development, and acquisition of technology. Industries in the global economy's most competitive sectors, such as computer hardware and software, pharmaceuticals, high technology manufacturing, publishing, and entertainment, as well as those industries whose core business does not depend directly or heavily on intellectual property, see important benefits from intellectual property rights protection and protection of trade secrets. Participants from both developed and developing economies came away from the symposium with a stronger appreciation of the significance of the WTO TRIPs agreement as a mechanism for strengthening intellectual property protection regionally and globally. In addition, participants gained increased understanding regarding regional developments in streamlining intellectual property administration, reducing costs and improving enforcement, as well as the need for further improvements in light of new technologies and new business methods such as electronic commerce. The PBEC Working Committee on Technology thanks conference sponsors Pfizer, Motorola, and Texas Instruments, as well as the PBEC Hong Kong Member Committee, whose generous support made the "TRIPs and Beyond" conference possible. Contact: Tim Jobe PBEC United States Member Committee E-Mail: tjobe@pbecus.org