The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has welcomed the interim report proposals to remove restrictions on parallel imports of copyrighted products.
The proposal was made in the interim report of the Intellectual Property and Competition Review Committee, chaired by Mr Henry Ergas. The review examined the effect of competition on Australia's intellectual property laws.
"The ACCC notes the Committee's comment that the restrictions should be repealed because of the lack of convincing evidence that the benefits to intellectual property owners of these restrictions outweighed the costs to the community as a whole," ACCC Chairman, Professor Allan Fels, said today.
"In particular the Committee noted, as the ACCC has argued, that the restrictions may increase prices and reduce choices for consumers.
"The ACCC also welcomes the proposed partial liberalisation in relation to the exemption for intellectual property under the Trade Practices Act 1974, even though the ACCC itself supported a more radical approach.
"Under the present law, there is, in the ACCC view, an anachronistic approach which treats intellectual property based goods and services differently from other goods and services. Cartel behaviour, misuse of market power, and other abuses are exempt.
"The Committee proposes to narrow this exemption. This is welcome.
"The report is important, and timely, following the Microsoft case when intellectual property issues were involved.
"In general, intellectual property laws are not harmful to competition. Some laws hanging off them - exemption from the TPA, restrictions on parallel imports - are".
The proposal was made in the interim report of the Intellectual Property and Competition Review Committee, chaired by Mr Henry Ergas. The review examined the effect of competition on Australia's intellectual property laws.
"The ACCC notes the Committee's comment that the restrictions should be repealed because of the lack of convincing evidence that the benefits to intellectual property owners of these restrictions outweighed the costs to the community as a whole," ACCC Chairman, Professor Allan Fels, said today.
"In particular the Committee noted, as the ACCC has argued, that the restrictions may increase prices and reduce choices for consumers.
"The ACCC also welcomes the proposed partial liberalisation in relation to the exemption for intellectual property under the Trade Practices Act 1974, even though the ACCC itself supported a more radical approach.
"Under the present law, there is, in the ACCC view, an anachronistic approach which treats intellectual property based goods and services differently from other goods and services. Cartel behaviour, misuse of market power, and other abuses are exempt.
"The Committee proposes to narrow this exemption. This is welcome.
"The report is important, and timely, following the Microsoft case when intellectual property issues were involved.
"In general, intellectual property laws are not harmful to competition. Some laws hanging off them - exemption from the TPA, restrictions on parallel imports - are".