UK: Mr Ian Hargreaves To Lead Independent Review Into How...

Mr Ian Hargreaves

The review is expected to report in April 2011 and will look at:

• Barriers to new internet-based business models, including the costs of obtaining permissions from existing rights-holders;
• The cost and complexity of enforcing intellectual property rights within the UK and internationally;
• The interaction between IP and Competition frameworks;
• The cost and complexity to SMEs of accessing services to help them protect and exploit their IP.

According to a report in The Telegraph, Mr Mark Owen of media and entertainment law firm Hartbottle & Lewis said the prospect of another review was 'depressing', a waste of money and reflected a lack of strategic thinking in policy making. However, on the contrary, Mr Ilya Kazi, Chartered Patent Attorney and partner from intellectual property advisors Mathys & Squire is reported to have said in the same Telegraph article said that 'The announcement of a review of British IP laws is long overdue'.

See also Mr Joff Wild here and there in the IAM Blog.

(Photo: (C) Cardiff University)