S'pore ranked 9th in global IP index, with higher score

Republic does well in new indicators, but software piracy and lack of data on Customs seizures cited as weaknesses

People walk along the Marina Bay Waterfront Promenade with the skyline of Singapore's Central Business District and Marina Bay Financial Centre in the background. PHOTO: ST FILE

Singapore has lifted its score in a global league table that assesses how nations deal with intellectual property (IP).

It came in at ninth place on the index, which covers 50 economies. It ranked eighth in the league table released in 2016 but that assessed only 45 countries.

Singapore's score of 84 per cent - or 33.45 out of 40 indicators - puts it ahead of Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand, but it remains second in the Asia-Pacific region behind Japan.

The United States tops the list, with Britain, Sweden, France, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands taking the next sixth places.

Ireland and the Netherlands are new entrants to the top 10, having just been added to the survey complied by the United States Chamber of Commerce.

Singapore's score was up on the last poll, when it scored 82 per cent. The chamber said this "reflects a strong performance in the new indicators added".

Six indicators were added this time, including membership in Patent Prosecution Highways, which are information-sharing initiatives between patent offices, and "IP as an economic asset".

There were also three indicators in a new "systemic efficiency" category: inter-governmental coordination of IP rights enforcement efforts; consultation with stakeholders during IP policy formation; and educational campaigns and awareness-raising.

Singapore scored full marks on all three of these indicators.

The report identified its key strengths to be its advanced national IP framework and its active participation in efforts to accelerate patent prosecution.

Singapore's weaknesses were seen as its relatively high incidence of software piracy and lack of transparency and data on Customs seizures of IP-infringing goods.

These were the same two weaknesses highlighted in the 2016 survey.

Estimated software piracy has fallen to 30 per cent from 35 per cent in 2009, "but is still quite high for a high-income economy", said the report.

Singapore scored a mere 0.25 out of 1 for "availability of frameworks that promote cooperative private action against online sale of counterfeit goods".

It scored just as badly for "transparency and public reporting by Customs authorities of trade-related IP infringement".

File

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 10, 2018, with the headline S'pore ranked 9th in global IP index, with higher score. Subscribe