Postimees

July 14, 2001

Intellectual Damage 1,8 Billion

According to a survey carried out by CIPR, an organization that deals with the protection of intellectual property, losses sustained by the Baltic states and businesses due to violations of intellectual property amount to 100 million dollars or 1.8 billion crowns per annum, which is a conservative estimate.

The survey, which was administered by CIPR among enterprises in all three Baltic countries, shows that there are shortcomings in enforcing laws designed to protect property, which are in and of themselves quite suitable for that purpose.

The executives of 102 businesses who were surveyed in all three Baltic states are of the opinion that protection of trademarks is important above all, while enterprises were also worried - but to a lesser extent - about the counterfeiting of products, the protection of patent rights, and matters concerning copyright. Pirating of Internet domain names also gives cause for concern.

As regards state institutions, the businessmen gave the best marks to the job done by patent offices, while deficiencies were found to exist primarily in the work of the agencies that are charged with the direct disciplining of infringers. (BNS)