SABIP work and achievements – how it was left – what will happen now?
The new Government has wasted no time in pruning many quangos and SABIP (the Strategic Advisory Board for Intellectual Property) did not escape the axe wielding. Despite ACID previously meeting with SABIP to present ACID’s view, we did not feel that their level of work and understanding within design related issues was in line with their focus on other intellectual property rights (as recommended in the report by Andrew Gowers). However, it is hoped that their otherwise excellent research programme on the Economic Value of Intellectual Property to the UK will be taken forward by the team at the IPO headed by Tony Clayton. These are tough times, with the recent loss of the Film Council also and it is sad when organisations that put intellectual property at the heart of policy making, lose their voice.
