Today, in the occasion of the World Intellectual Property Day, the Property Rights Alliance (PRA) released an open letter signed by The Institute for Competitiveness alongside other 93 think tanks and advocacy organizations across 42 countries addressed to Director-General Daren Tang of the World Intellectual Property Organization, affirming the coalition’s continued commitment to advancing strong and effective intellectual property rights worldwide—rights that empower creators, entrepreneurs, and innovators alike.
The WIPO’s World IP Day theme for this year is “IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate” which was later celebrated today at the European Parliament in Brussels with a policy roundtable featuring the participation of Lorenzo Cantanari, Executive Director of Property Rights Alliance.
As noted in the letter: “Intellectual property rights lay the groundwork necessary for promoting ingenuity, economic development, and culture. They protect creative ideas and innovations, such as artistic works, inventions, and symbols, ensuring that creators and businesses can be rewarded for their work”.
The 2025 International Property Rights Index reveals a strong correlation between robust property rights systems and economic performance. The countries included in the index represent 93% of the world’s population and account for 98% of global GDP. Additionally, the average per capita income disparity between the top and bottom quintile countries in the index is 21 times. This finding shows the essential role of property rights in household income and the importance of protecting these rights across the globe.
IP-intensive industries continue to be major contributors to global economic output. In the United States, such industries support 62.5 million jobs. These workers not only benefit from higher wages and job stability but also enjoy greater access to training and career advancement. IP-heavy industries also add $7.8 trillion to the American economy and account for roughly 70% of public corporations’ value, demonstrating how deeply embedded IP is in the modern economy.
The letter also highlights the essential role of intellectual property in healthcare innovation and affordability. In sectors such as MedTech, strong IP protections drive R&D, attract global funding, and promote competition. These factors combine to increase the availability of life-saving technologies, reduce costs through scale, and enable tech transfer to developing countries.
The letter emphasizes that intellectual property frameworks do more than just protect ideas— they make innovation accessible to all, providing the foundation for future breakthroughs by aligning incentives with meaningful impact.
In closing, Executive Director of Property Rights Alliance Lorenzo Montanari stated: “As global innovation accelerates, continued international cooperation remains vital to ensuring that IP systems remain balanced, effective, and inclusive. By safeguarding intellectual property, we empower creators, strengthen economies, and help build a future defined by progress, creativity, and shared prosperity.”
The full letter can be found here.
