[Ip-health] NFTC Launches Global Innovation Forum

[James Love]

The NFTC is an industry trade association.  They are using a PR and "Global=
 Issues Management" firm named Romulus for this effort (http://www.goromulu=
s.com/).  The NFTC effort is related to the WHO implementation of the Globa=
l Strategy.

KEI is meeting with Romulus about this on Wed.  Jamie

http://www.nftc.org/newsflash/newsflash.asp?Mode=3DView&articleid=3D2026&Ca=
tegory=3DAll

Date: 1/30/2009 3:11:00 PM
Written By: Jennifer Cummings or Eric Thomas, The Fratelli Group for
NFTC, 202-822-9491

Washington, DC =E2=80=93 The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) today
launched a major new initiative designed to better protect and promote
American jobs and ingenuity in today=E2=80=99s increasingly challenging eco=
nomy.
The Global Innovation Forum will seek to create new opportunities and
enable solutions to global challenges through effective protection and
enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR) worldwide.

=E2=80=9CThe NFTC represents more than 300 companies, many of which are glo=
bal
innovation leaders that rely on intellectual property protection and a
predictable global trade system to employ tens of millions of workers,=E2=
=80=9D
said NFTC President Bill Reinsch. =E2=80=9CThere are few more cost effectiv=
e
ways to stimulate the economy than to ensure a predictable global IP
system that protects jobs. The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates
that intellectual property accounts for half of American exports and 40%
of U.S. economic growth, so it is critical that we have the appropriate
resources, rules and enforcement of those rules in place to support
these workers.=E2=80=9D

The Forum will initially focus on international policy issues related to
fostering innovation and innovation job growth, intellectual property
protection, technology transfer and efforts to address global
challenges.  The Forum will launch a Web site next month focused on
these issues and intends to hold a series of meetings to advance a
dialogue among innovative company representatives and workers, consumer
groups, international development organizations and policymakers.

=E2=80=9CThe global economic slowdown is creating new pressures on both
innovators and consumers at a time when the world is confronting
enormous challenges related to developing new energy solutions,
improving public health, creating environmental sustainability, securing
access to food and nutrition and raising global living standards,=E2=80=9D =
said
John Stubbs, Executive Director of the Global Innovation Forum.  =E2=80=9CT=
hese
challenges will be met by the hard work of creative minds in the United
States and around the world =E2=80=93 our goal is to provide a forum to adv=
ance
policies that support that creative effort and promote active ecosystems
for innovation.=E2=80=9D