Armenia ranks 84th among 138 countries in terms of intellectual property protection

In terms of intellectual property protection Armenia ranks 84th among 138 surveyed countries.

YEREVAN, April 26. /ARKA/. In terms of intellectual property protection Armenia ranks 84th among 138 surveyed countries. Intellectual property protection is one of the aspects of the global competitiveness rating for 2016-2017, in which Armenia ranks 79th.

The global ranking was presented on Wednesday during a forum called "The Importance of Intellectual Property Protection for the Development of the Armenian Economy: Opportunities and Challenges", which was held in Yerevan and was timed to coincide with the World Intellectual Property Day. It was organized by the US Embassy in Armenia, the American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia (AmCham) and the Armenian Office of Microsoft.

Addressing the forum, the US Vice-Ambassador to Armenia Rafik Mansour said strong mechanisms for protection of intellectual property help convert innovative ideas and original projects to valuable business assets, promoting the prosperity and the fight against counterfeit goods. In his words, it also contributes to creation of many new jobs.

He said also the growing globalization and the development of technologies mean that ideas, information and products are spreading all over the world. And although this, as Mansour noted, on the one hand, is advantageous and expedient, on the other hand, it creates new challenges, ranging from illegal downloads of files to falsified goods. In the light of the above, the Vice-Ambassador stressed the importance of creating mechanisms for the protection of intellectual property.

The World Intellectual Property Day has been celebrated annually on April 26 since 2001. The event was established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2000 to "raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and designs impact on daily life" and "to celebrate creativity, and the contribution made by creators and innovators to the development of societies across the globe". 

The 26 of April was chosen as the date for World Intellectual Property Day because it coincides with the date on which the Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization entered into force in 1970. -0-