U.S. Chamber Calls for Stronger Global IPR Protection

Chamber joins forces with leading Japanese and European business associations to fight for stringent guidelines in proposed anti-counterfeiting trade agreement

WASHINGTON, D.C.-The U.S. Chamber of Commerce united with BUSINESSEUROPE, and the International Intellectual Property Protection Forum (IIPPF, Japan) today to express strong support for a comprehensive agreement that will invigorate the fight against the global proliferation of intellectual property rights (IPR) infringements at the third annual Trilateral Intellectual Property (IP) Roundtable in Tokyo, Japan. This announcement came in response to recent announcements by the United States, Japan, and the European Union to seek negotiations for a new multilateral Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) to fight against counterfeiting and piracy.

"We all agree that counterfeiting poses a growing threat to the health and safety of consumers and to the sustainable development of the world economy," said Chamber Vice President for Asia Myron Brilliant. "Representatives from each of the councils feel that business communities and governments world-wide must increase their efforts to better address global counterfeiting and piracy."

Industry representatives expressed the need to establish an enhanced framework for cooperation that includes sharing of best practices, information exchanges, collaboration on joint technical assistance, and development of policy recommendations for IPR protection and enforcement. The Chamber, BUSINESSEUROPE, and the IIPPF agreed to develop coordinated actions to combat global counterfeiting, piracy, and IPR violations by calling for a common, high standard of IPR protection and enforcement and assisting the customs agencies of the United States, Europe, and Japan in creating guidelines for enforcement at ports of entry that strengthen coordination between government officials and rights holders.

The coalition plans to deepen private sector collaboration with the three governments in order to facilitate technical assistance, judicial training, and rule of law programs to improve public awareness, protection, and enforcement of IPR in a number of critical countries around the world, including China, India, and Russia. These groups will also lead robust industry delegations to participate in the second annual Global Forum on Innovation, Creativity and IPR, which will take place in Mumbai, India on February 26-27.

The Chamber's Global Intellectual Property Center is working around the world to champion IP as a vital engine of global development, growth, and human progress. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region. Contact Myron Brilliant at 202-463-5461 for more information regarding the third annual Trilateral IP Roundtable.

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