AMMAN - Jordan continues to show strong commitment to protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs) but still is in the middle of the road when measured against advanced levels of laws, policies and enforcement regulations governing patents, trademarks and copyrights, a US expert told The Jordan Times on Monday.
Robert Stoll, dean of training and education at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), mentioned several steps that are required for Jordan to progress in terms of IPR protection such as the Patent Cooperation Treaty and the Madrid Protocol regarding international registration of trademarks.
Stoll, addressing officials from across the Middle East taking part in a four-day seminar on the latest developments in laws and policies governing patents, trademarks, copyrights and enforcement of IPRs, highlighted the importance of intellectual property from a domestic perspective.
Although IPR protection can come as a result of external pressure, Stoll said higher benefits can be achieved locally when investments, innovation, safety and incentives become the core elements besides curbing crimes.
In an opening speech, Industry and Trade Minister Salem Khazaaleh stressed Jordan's keenness and serious endeavours to upgrade IPR protection and indicated that preparations are under way to join a number of international accords in this regard.
Through presentations by legal experts from government agencies responsible for trade, customs and law enforcement, border protection, and food and drug safety, participants will share their knowledge on successful strategies under international legal frameworks and on the mechanisms available to ensure intellectual property protection.
International and Jordanian corporate representatives will also conduct a product identification symposium to help distinguish between counterfeit and authentic goods.
"Safeguarding intellectual property fosters economic growth, provides incentives for technological innovation, and attracts investment that creates job opportunities," a press release issued by the US embassy in Amman said.
According to the press release, World Bank studies confirm the growing importance of intellectual property for today's globalised economies, finding that "across the range of income levels, intellectual property rights are associated with greater trade and foreign direct investment flows, which in turn translate into faster rates of economic growth".
Effective protection also promotes a variety of common social goals. For example, patent and trademark laws are useful in preventing serious, well-documented harms posed by counterfeited goods, such as medicines sold under false labels that could prove toxic to unsuspecting users.
The seminar is sponsored by the USPTO's Global Intellectual Property Academy in cooperation with the government of Jordan.
Countries participating in this regional seminar include Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Egypt, Yemen, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
By Samir Ghawi
© Jordan Times 2007
