Singapore: 80% of Singaporeans Recognise Importance of IP

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A recent IP perception survey commissioned by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) reveals that 4 out of 5 Singaporeans agree that it is important to protect intellectual property rights and the works of IP creators. They are aware that IP right infringement could give rise to legal penalties, and more than half of the respondents cited moral reasons as a key deterrent for not engaging in infringing activities. The household survey was conducted with the objective of measuring Singaporeans’ awareness, attitudes and behavioural dispositions towards IP and issues relating to IP rights. These results were announced at a 2015 World IP Day Appreciation Event held in Singapore on April 23 2015.

Intellectual property is increasingly recognised as a key growth and economic driver and Singapore has consistently performed well in numerous international surveys on IP protection. For example, Singapore has been recently ranked second in the world and top in Asia for having the best IP protection by the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2014/2015. In addition, strong protection of IP rights is often cited by multi-national companies as an important factor when selecting Singapore as their location of choice for investing in business and in research and development in the city state.

In the opening address of the World IP Day Appreciation Event, Stanley Lai, Chairman of IPOS’ Board of Directors, emphasised the importance of working with the community to promote IP respect and awareness. “The quest to embrace IP to benefit our community and build an idea-driven Singapore is an ongoing one,” said Dr Lai. “We need an actively engaged and committed IP community to reify the fact that everyone has a role to play to promote and support IP, to further engender creativity and innovation for a better quality of life, and a better Singapore.”

Also unveiled at the event was a new community outreach programme entitled “Embracing Intellectual Property @ IP101”. This outreach programme comprises a series of info-connect sessions that are held regularly at IPOS’ customer service centre which are free and open to the public. This new programme aims to help businesses, innovators, professionals and the wider community to respect, protect and use IP for improving the quality of lives and to develop businesses and the economy. Businesses and entrepreneurs, for example, can seek advice on IP issues such as remedies and enforcement from IP legal clinics. The sessions also provide youths and other members of the public an opportunity to come up close and personal with successful local IP creators and learn from their journeys in creating and protecting IP. These initiatives highlight Singapore’s commitment to raising IP awareness and promoting IP protection.

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