Australian Productivity Commission investigates IP arrangements

Australia’s Productivity Commission today announced an Inquiry to consider whether current intellectual property (IP) arrangements provide an appropriate balance between access to ideas and products, and encouraging innovation and investment.

In recommending changes to the current system to improve the overall wellbeing of Australian society, the Commission will consider:

• incentives for innovation and investment, including freedom to build on existing innovation;
• Australia's international trade obligations;
• the relative contribution of IP to the Australian economy;
• the economy-wide and distributional consequences of recommendations, including their impacts on trade and competition;
• ensuring the IP system will be efficient and robust through time, in light of economic changes;
• how proposed changes fit with, or may require changes to, other existing regulation or forms of assistance;
• the relevant findings and recommendations of recently completed reviews.

The consultation closes November 30, 2015. The draft report is expected to be released in March or April 2016, at which point the Commission will seek further information and feedback. The Commission’s report is expected to be handed to the Australian government in August 2016.