Topic: International Intellectual Property Protection
Country: Switzerland
Delegate Name: Peter Sage
School: Grand Rapids City High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Switzerland position papers GLIMUN 2017 committees
There are many creative products and medias such as drugs, literature, and art that make up a significant part of the world’s largest economies. To incentivize the creation of these products and medias, many countries have implemented protection for intellectual property (IP). The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) oversees international agreements about intellectual property. Switzerland’s position on intellectual property protection is relaxed. According to the Switzerland Climate Investment Statement 2015, Swiss authorities do not effectively enforce copyright laws, particularly online. As a result, Switzerland has become a hub for global piracy. In 2010, the Swiss High Court ruled that Internet Protocol addresses must be protected. Subsequently, they can not be used to prosecute those who break copyright laws. The European Union claims that Switzerland is the largest importer of counterfeit drugs into it’s countries.
Disagreements on how IP laws should be enforced exist, and need to be resolved. Switzerland allows for anything to be downloaded from foreign websites without prosecution. Other members of the UN call for stricter IP protection and enforcement of copyright laws. Because of piracy’s commonality within it’s borders, Switzerland, along with other countries, is being scrutinized by governments whose peoples’ creative works are being pirated there. Advancements in technology have made it much more difficult for law enforcement to prosecute or even stop those who infringe upon copyright law.
Finding a solution that protects intellectual property internationally will prove to be very difficult. Some governments wish to have strict enforcements on all intellectual property, while others such as Switzerland allow for the download of many copyrighted works. Switzerland would not be content to sign a treaty forcing them to prosecute people for downloading copyrighted works, as the practice is widespread throughout their country. It would be impractical and expensive to prosecute every person who infringed copyright law. A practical solution would be to set policy that enforces the prohibition of production and trade of counterfeit goods, as well as the upload of copyrighted material. These are proposals that Switzerland and other members of the UN would largely agree on, and be able to enforce.
