ABSTRACT
Chapter 7 of this book focuses on database protection issues. An essential one of the Knowledge Equilibrium (KE) goals is the even distribution of knowledge and intellectual resources. In the current digital era, the database, as one of the most important collections of intellectual resources and valuable information, plays an increasingly significant role in conducting information communication, exchanges of technology and knowledge economy. Database access has become increasingly important for countries, particularly developing countries, to improve their education, research and self-innovation capabilities and to get in step with globalisation and developments in the information/knowledge economy. Moreover, as mentioned in Chapter 2, the WIPO Digital Agenda has listed ‘progress towards a possible international instrument on the protection of databases’ as an important part of the ‘adjustment of the international legislative framework to facilitate e-commerce’.1
