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Minister for AI and intellectual property among dignitaries at ACID’s 25th anniversary
Viscount Camrose, minister for AI and intellectual property (IP), was among the special guests that turned out for the 25th anniversary celebration of IP lobby group and member association Anti Copying in Design (ACID) in London earlier this month.
The event was held at Furniture Makers’ Hall, London on 28 February. Other guests include creative industries co-chair, Sir Peter Bazalgette; iconic designer Sebastian Conran; Design Council CEO Minnie Mol;l and ACID’s chief counsel, who spoke about the importance of intellectual property (IP) and design.
During the event, Viscount Camrose gave a rousing speech applauding the design economy as well as congratulating Anti Copying in Design’s (ACID) contribution.
Viscount Camrose said: “ACID has been a strong and consistent champion for SME designers for 25 years. Both in your own right and as a key member of the Alliance for IP, you have campaigned to ensure that IP rights are valued. The government has been pleased to work with ACID to help ensure our IP system continues to support creativity and innovation in design, and that our design system works effectively for smaller design-led businesses and lone designers.”
“I know that the introduction of criminal sanctions for unregistered designs is an important issue for ACID. We will be seeking evidence on this topic within our design consultation, so I would urge you all to respond. I can assure you that the views of all respondents will be considered.”
ACID’s trailblazing work and ongoing campaigning has been a game changer in championing designers and the importance of their intellectual property rights’ protection. This has influenced and brought about positive change in the legal and political landscape.
Dids Macdonald OBE, ACID’s CEO, said: “Design protection should not be about deep legal pockets. IP ethics, respect and compliance must be a given to make corporate social responsibility credible. She quoted Mark Getty who said, “Intellectual Property is the oil of the 21st century”. Together, let’s ensure that respect for intellectual property becomes not just a legal obligation but a moral imperative. ACID’s work remains more crucial than ever as the infringement of original work is an ongoing crisis. There are still mountains to climb!”