UKIE news

4 March 2011 - London, United Kingdom – UKIE uses two government submissions to address key areas for the UK’s interactive entertainment industry, around access to finance and intellectual property.

UKIE this week made two important submissions to government: a pre-budget submission to the Treasury outlining its access to finance agenda and a submission to the government led Hargreaves review of the UK’s intellectual property system.

In its recommendation to Treasury ahead of this month’s budget, UKIE outlined the economic contribution the video games and interactive entertainment industry makes to the UK economy and its potential for further growth. UKIE repeated its support for the TIGA tax break proposal, and called on the Government to reconsider introducing a tax break for the industry.

UKIE also promoted its wider access to finance agenda to Treasury, which includes calling on government to modify rules for the R&D tax relief scheme, Venture Capital Trusts and Enterprise Investment Schemes and increase funding for prototyping.

In its submission to the Hargreaves IP review, UKIE championed the video games and interactive entertainment industry as a prime example of innovation, with huge potential for continuing growth. 

However, UKIE also highlighted the lack of adequate tools to help prevent online piracy and insufficient protection for copyright creators.  UKIE urged the review team to focus on ensuring that those who create IP are rewarded for their endeavours and retain the incentive to continue to innovate. 

Michael Rawlinson, Director General of UKIE, said, “Access to finance and intellectual property are key issues for the UK’s video games and interactive entertainment industry and UKIE is fully engaged with both.

UKIE continues to build a relationship with the Treasury to promote our broad access to finance agenda for the small and medium sized businesses that are the backbone of the UK’s interactive entertainment industry. This includes our support for a video games tax relief, alongside a number of other areas we have identified as essential to supporting our industry’s continued growth and contribution to the UK economy.”

“Maintaining a strong IP system is also vital to all areas of the UK’s video games industry, allowing for the development of original IP and the evolution of new business models that work for industry and for consumers, alongside the continuation of traditional markets.

However, UKIE remains concerned that the copyright framework does not provide adequate tools to enforce against online piracy.  Instead of money going to those engaged in unlawful activity, we need sufficient tools to deal with piracy. Money can then be reinvested by the industry to develop new products to match consumer demand and of course to sustain the jobs supported by the video games industry: jobs in development; jobs in marketing, jobs in publishing and jobs in retail.”

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Contacts:

For all press enquiries, please contact the UKIE press office on T: +44 (0)20 7534 0580 or E: press@ukie.info

About UKIE

The Association for United Kingdom Interactive Entertainment or UKIE is a trade body that represents the whole of the UK’s video games and wider interactive entertainment industry. Founded in 1989 (and formerly known as ELSPA), UKIE’s membership includes games publishers, developers and the academic institutions that support the industry.

UKIE works with government to champion a range of issues including age ratings, education and skills, tax incentives and protecting intellectual property rights. It also works with the media to ensure true and accurate representation of the sector by raising awareness of the industry’s positive economic contribution and the societal benefits of gaming to policy makers, regulators and consumers.

One of UKIE’s key roles is to support its members by providing them with key market information, promoting careers and offering the business support services, training and best-practice knowledge to enable them to operate most effectively.

In addition, UKIE works with GfK Chart-Track to compile weekly, monthly and annual retail charts and sales reports for the UK market.