Thomson Reuters Partners with the World Intellectual Property Organization to Offer Free and Low-Cost Access to Patent Information in Developing Nations

LONDON, Sept. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- The IP Solutions business of Thomson Reuters partnered with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for the launch of the Access to Specialized Patent Information (ASPI) program at WIPO's headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, today. ASPI will give industrial property offices and government and academic researchers in developing countries free and low-cost access to comprehensive patent information, to foster innovation and participate more fully in the global economy.

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100917/NY67060 )

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100917/NY67060 )

Mr. David Brown, president of the IP Solutions business of Thomson Reuters, commemorated the program by acknowledging its importance in a speech to attendees, followed by a signing ceremony and press conference with WIPO Director General Mr. Francis Gurry and other dignitaries.

"Some have said that necessity is the spark for innovation, but in many cases necessity may not be enough. Intelligent information, however, can be the fuel for accelerating innovation on a sustained basis," said Mr. Brown. "The ASPI program offers the hope that through innovation – and its protection via intellectual property – developing nations can grow economically, socially, and technically, to foster human welfare and development, and become more integrated within the global knowledge economy."

Innovation is beginning to lead BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and VISTA (Vietnam, Indonesia, South Africa, Turkey and Argentina) nations to advance technically, economically and socially. The economies of the latter have been forecast to grow 25.5 times more rapidly than today's seven most industrialized countries by 2050.

"Patent information represents a critical source of knowledge and insight for researchers and innovators, legal professionals, entrepreneurs, and policymakers across the globe," said Mr. Gurry. The ASPI program will allow developing and least-developed countries to benefit from enhanced access to powerful tools for exploiting this valuable resource under very favorable conditions. The program also represents a pioneering public-private partnership between WIPO and leading patent data service providers, whose generosity and vision have made this program possible."

Thomson Innovation, the premier intellectual property research and analysis platform from Thomson Reuters, will be made available to researchers through the program.

There are numerous countries eligible for free, or significantly reduced, access to Thomson Innovation. The countries comprise three tiers:

1. Group 1 – least-developed nations, such as Cambodia, Haiti and Somalia
2. Group 2 – marginally developed nations, such as Albania and Fiji
3. Group 3 – developing nations, such as Barbados, Libya and Mauritius

For more information about the ASPI program and countries benefiting from it, go to: www.wipo.int/patentscope/en/programs/aspi

About the World Intellectual Property Organization

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It is dedicated to developing a balanced and accessible international intellectual property (IP) system, which rewards creativity, stimulates innovation and contributes to economic development while safeguarding the public interest. WIPO was established by the WIPO Convention in 1967 with a mandate from its Member States to promote the protection of IP throughout the world through cooperation among states and in collaboration with other international organizations. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland.

About Thomson Reuters

Thomson Reuters is the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals.  We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial, legal, tax and accounting, healthcare and science and media markets, powered by the world's most trusted news organization. With headquarters in New York and major operations in London and Eagan, Minnesota, Thomson Reuters employs 55,000 people and operates in over 100 countries. For more information, go to www.thomsonreuters.com.

SOURCE Thomson Reuters