Outgoing CBI Boss Urges Creation Of IP Ministry

by Robin Pilgrim, LawAndTax-News.com, London

09 May 2006

Outgoing Confederation of British Industry boss, Sir Digby Jones this week called for the creation of an IP ministry in the United Kingdom to oversee intellectual property matters.

Speaking to the Financial Times on Monday, Sir Digby observed that:

"Intellectual property has become too important to be just one of a number of responsibilities of a minister. We need an IP minister to take strategic charge of the issues across government and address the disparate challenges facing the UK."

He went on to add that:

"Creative industries generated more than 8 percent of gross domestic product, yet copyright is handled with little ministerial input as a subset of patent law, at arms length from the concerns of the copyright industries. This must change: the importance of copyright needs to be recognised and it must be given the prominence it deserves."

The CBI has recommended the appointment of a designated minister in its submission to the Gowers Review of Intellectual Property, launched late last year, and overseen by Andrew Gowers, former Editor of the Financial Times.

The review aims to provide an analysis of the performance of the UK IP system, including:

• The way in which Government administers the awarding of IP and their support to consumers and business;
• How well businesses are able to negotiate the complexity and expense of the copyright and patent system, including copyright and patent licensing arrangements, litigation and enforcement; and
• Whether the current technical and legal IP infringement framework reflects the digital environment, and whether provisions for ‘fair use’ by citizens are reasonable.

Sir Digby Jones will depart the CBI in June for new roles as senior adviser to John Connolly, chief executive of accounting firm Deloitte, chairman of the company's industries group, and part-time corporate and governmental affairs advisor for Ford of Europe.

He will have completed six-and-a-half years at the helm of the CBI when he steps down as director-general next month.

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