U.S. Chamber Praises USTR’s 2011 Special 301 Report

Report Reinforces Need for Congress to Act on Enhanced Enforcement Measures

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today praised the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) for continuing to urge for greater intellectual property protection and enforcement around the globe with the release of the 2011 Special 301 report. The Chamber also commends USTR for supplementing the release with an open invitation to all trading partners to cooperatively develop action plans to address the issues of concern.

“The Chamber commends USTR for their commitment to work with trading partners to develop action plans to thwart the theft of IP,” said Mark Elliot, executive vice president for the Chamber’s Global Intellectual Property Center. “While this is a great first step, in order to enhance the tools available to the administration to engage more effectively with our trading partners, we also urge Congress to enact legislation that would not only require action plans, but also clear benchmarks to measure performance and penalties for non-compliance.”

Produced annually, the Special 301 Report is a critical mechanism for the U.S. government to ensure that trading partners provide adequate and effective protection of IP for America’s creators and innovators. Over the past few years, the Special 301 Report has also encouraged bad actors to change course and adopt significantly improved IP regimes.

“Today’s Special 301 Report shines a spotlight on countries that are threatening American jobs and economic growth by undermining the intellectual property rights of our innovative and creative industries,” added Elliot. “We commend USTR for producing this report, which rightfully identifies countries that are not adhering to their obligations under trade agreements.”

The Chamber’s Global Intellectual Property Center is working around the world to champion intellectual property (IP) rights as vital to creating jobs, saving lives, advancing global economic growth, and generating breakthrough solutions to global challenges.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

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