Spreading the message of IP?

Thanks to ZDnet for details of the US's latest initiatives in countering IP piracy overseas, building on the creation of the Coordinator for International Intellectual Property Enforcement. This includes a network of US intellectual property experts placed throughout the world to encourage better IP protection; and, to ensure this actually happens, establishing a Global Intellectual Property Rights Academy to train foreign judges and the like.

In many respects there is much to be said for such initiatives - many countries struggle to acquire the resources and knowledge to understand and implement, on an ongoing basis, their obligations under TRIPS. That said, there are many shades of grey within IP and TRIPS: such as the difference between organised piracy and activities which at least arguably come within exceptions available under TRIPS. Attempts to introduce balanced IP systems throughout the world, making appropriate use of the exceptions within TRIPS, are welcome; attempts to unduly entrench the views of some developed country IP owners are not.