Professor Ian
Hargreaves will lead an independent review into how the
intellectual property system can better drive growth and
innovation, it was announced today.
Intellectual Property Minister Baroness Wilcox revealed the
review would be led by the current chair of Digital Economy at the
Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies and
Cardiff Business School.
The review was launched by Prime Minister David Cameron during a
speech to an audience of high tech businesses and entrepreneurs in
London’s East End on Thursday.
Baroness Wilcox said:
“Professor Hargreaves is a distinguished academic, journalist and
public servant. I am delighted someone of his calibre will lead
this important piece of work.”
Professor Hargreaves has held senior positions at the BBC,
Financial Times, The Independent, and New Statesman.
He was a founding non-executive board member of the Office of
Communications (Ofcom) and an executive board member, and Director
of Strategic Communications at the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office.
In 2009 he was seconded part-time to conduct a review of Creative
Industries in Wales for the Welsh Assembly Government.
The review is expected to report in April next year 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.
Notes to Editors
1. The Intellectual Property Office is within the Department for
Business, Innovation, and Skills and responsible for the national
framework of Intellectual Property rights, comprising patents,
designs, trade marks and copyright. Its role is to help manage an
IP system that encourages innovation and creativity, balances the
needs of consumers and users, promotes strong and competitive
markets and is the foundation of the knowledge based economy.
2. The Terms of Reference for the review are available here:
http://www.ipo.gov.uk/ipreview-tor.pdf
3. IPO Press Officer: Paul Conroy 020 7215 5303
4. BIS' online newsroom contains the latest press
notices, speeches, as well as video and images for download. It
also features an up to date list of BIS press office contacts. See
http://www.bis.gov.uk/newsroom for more information.
Contacts:
BIS Press Office
NDS.BIS@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Paul Conroy
Phone: 020 7215 5303
paul.conroy@bis.gsi.gov.uk