The UK government have undertaken a review of Intellectual Property in the digital age. The Gower Report focuses on the future of IP law (from a UK stand point) in the digital age. Obviously the reality is that IP law is an international issue and an UK initiative will need to be fed up to Europe for haggling and then further debated at a global level (and even then Youtube users will just carry on doing what they want regardless). Still, it’s something to keep an eye on given that Intellectual Property is where the true value is for computer game developers and publishers .

Gowers Review of Intellectual Property
In December 2005, the Chancellor of the Exchequer asked Andrew Gowers to conduct an independent review into the UK Intellectual Property Framework. The Review was published on 6th December 2006 and can be accessed at the links below.

Intellectual Property is a critical component of our present and future success in the global economy. The UK’s economic competitiveness is increasingly driven by knowledge-based industries, especially in manufacturing, science-based sectors and the creative industries.

The IP framework must create incentives for innovation, without unduly limiting access for consumers and follow-on innovators. The Review examined the instruments of Intellectual Property i.e. patents, copyright, designs and trade marks, to ensure that they are balanced, coherent and flexible, and at the operations; how IP is awarded, used, and enforced. The Review also considered the governance of IP. The terms of reference are available.

Full announcement here http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/pre_budget_report/prebud_pbr06/other_docs/prebud_pbr06_odgowers.cfm

Downloadable copy of the report here http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/583/91/pbr06_gowers_report_755.pdf