Trademark-intensive industries directly contribute 30 pct to GDP

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KUALA LUMPUR: Trademark-intensive industries in Malaysia have generated 30 per cent direct and 60 per cent indirect contributions to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), said the International Trademark Association (INTA) study released here yesterday.

Its chief representative Asia-Pacific, Seth Hays, said the study, which covered 2012 to 2015, was conducted by Frontier Economics, a leading economic consultancy in Europe.

He said the study showed that there was a direct correlation between trademark-intensive and non-trademark intensive industries.

“Trademark-intensive industries in Malaysia, which comprised manufacturing of computers, electronics, and related equipment, accounted for about 19 per cent of total manufacturing value-added.

“They contributed 55 per cent to exports and provided 24 per cent of the total workforce,” said Hays at the presentation of ‘The Economics Contributions of Trademark-intensive Industries in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand’ report here yesterday.

Hays said the study indicated that of the countries surveyed, trademarks had the most significant effect in Malaysia.

“As we explore the long-term economic and social implications of trademarks and related intellectual property rights, it becomes increasingly important for public and private sectors to scale up engagement on this issue, as well as back government efforts to boost trademark and brand development and protection,” he said.

INTA defines trademark-intensive industries as those that have an above average use of trademarks per employee.

The study aims to assess the economic contributions of trademark-intensive industries in the five Asean countries which between them account for nearly 90 per cent of the Asean community’s combined GDP.

Meanwhile, Malaysian INTA member, Michael CM Soo, said the study was commendable and should be used by INTA members in Malaysia to enhance their capacity for innovation, research and development, including increasing the level of investments and job creation. — Bernama