The Comparative Economics of International Intellectual Property Agreements

Using the WTO TRIPS Agreement as a case study, this book chapter provides a comparative economic analysis of international intellectual property agreements as they relate to both developed and developing countries. Specifically, this chapter discusses three different aspects of the TRIPS Agreement: (1) protection standards; (2) enforcement standards; and (3) the dispute settlement procedure. As this chapter will show, the economic picture concerning the implementation and operation of the TRIPS Agreement in developed countries is drastically different from the corresponding picture of developing countries. As a result, countries need to think more deeply about the Agreement's differing economic impacts