Intellectual Property

September 12, 2007

By Ambassador Earl Anthony Wayne

In the ten months that I have been in Argentina, I have been extremely impressed by the creativity and genius of the Argentine people. It is in sciences, culture and business that I have seen continuous illustrations of this – your – inventive spirit. There is an abundance of examples.  Science Magazine just publicized a major breakthrough by a team of Argentines, Americans and others who discovered a light-activated protein mechanism that allowed the bacteria – brucellus - to more aggressively attack its victims.  In another impressive example of creativity, an Argentine invented a futuristic construction process and design based solely on 30 cm aluminum tubes - and patented it in the United States. Without a doubt, the two Oscars won by Gustavo Santaolalla remind us of Argentina´s excellence in music.

Argentina’s artists, scholars and scientists have been frequent winners of the world's most prestigious scholarships, including in my country. In 2007, Argentines won 13 of the 35 scholarships given by the Guggenheim Foundation to citizens and residents of Latin America and the Caribbean for "exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts."  The MacArthur Foundation has bestowed six of its so-called "Genius Awards" over the last ten years to Argentines.

It would be a shame, however, if Argentines’ hard work and creativity failed to receive the full protection they need to continue to flourish and contribute to the country's competitiveness.  Patenting a process, copyrighting a concept, trademarking a brand protects the producer's work, as well as a flow of earnings. This in turn provides incentives for others to invest time and energy in creativity that continues to advance economic, scientific and artistic goals.

Innovation - whether it takes the form of a new scientific development, a piece of software, or hit song - is the key to continued economic growth, and it’s in all of our interests that innovation be nourished and protected.  A strong IPR regime encourages creativity and permits us all to enjoy unprecedented breakthroughs in science, medicine and the arts.  That is why it is not about getting a cheap DVD or CD. It is all about generating the conditions for a vibrant future for Argentina's future creators.

Failure to protect intellectual property can negatively affect all of our citizens.  Piracy and falsification in Argentina, as in any other country, means lost tax revenue, making it more difficult for the government to do what it needs to do for its citizens and residents, or more difficult to reduce taxes on those who pay them.  Intellectual property violations are also all too often linked to larger criminal organizations, including money laundering and terrorist financing.  I have met several Argentine prosecutors and investigators who work to prevent intellectual property crimes. Their task is not easy, but they are impressively dedicated to that goal. 

And it can be done. In the United States, internet crimes are decreasing, thanks to an effective legal framework enforced by the government. Protecting intellectual property can at times be challenging as new technologies and processes emerge, but with awareness and commitment, we can stay one step ahead of the thieves who threaten to increase criminal activity, reduce tax revenue, cut jobs and steal the fruits of creativity. One of these new creations may belong to your daughter or son. By protecting intellectual property, we help build a better future.