Singapore ranks 10th on global IP Index

Singapore

SINGAPORE was ranked 10th out of 50 world economies on the latest edition of the US Chamber International Intellectual Property (IP) Index, as it slipped a place and was displaced by Switzerland.

The city-state's overall score dropped from 83.63 per cent ( 33.45 out of 40 indicators) to 82.49 per cent (37.12 out of 45 indicators) in the seventh edition of the annual index, findings of which were released on Thursday.

The latest edition ranked economies based on a total of 45 unique indicators, five more than the last edition.

Singapore saw a mixed performance on the new indicators, but its stronger copyright enforcement helped it garner a higher score on the indicator of legal measures to provide necessary exclusive rights that prevent infringement of copyrights and related rights (including web hosting, streaming, and linking).

The Global Innovation Policy Centre (GIPC) of the US Chamber, in analysing the IP climate in the 50 economies, noted Singapore's efforts in making amendments to strengthen its Copyright Act as well as the Singapore High Court's subsequent order to major Internet service providers in the Republic to block access to piracy websites upon the application of the Motion Picture Association of America.

The GIPC also considered the Singapore High Court's landmark ruling last November to disable access to Internet-based applications providing infringing content to set-top boxes.

As a result of these greater efforts and the improved ability of copyright-holders to more effectively fight online piracy in Singapore, the country's score increased by 0.25 on the indicator of legal measures to provide necessary exclusive rights that prevent infringement of copyrights and related rights.

The report has identified the Republic's key strengths as:

Conversely, Singapore's high estimated software piracy level was highlighted as a weakness, though it has decreased from 35 per cent in 2009 to 27 per cent today - still considered high for a developed high-income economy.

Lack of transparency and data on customs seizures of IP-infringing goods was another key weakness.

Topping the index was the United States. Japan was the only Asian nation ahead of Singapore in the top 10 rankings.