The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) negotiations were launched in 2006. ACTA is a new plurilateral treaty to help fight counterfeiting and piracy through enhanced international cooperation and more effective international standards for enforcing intellectual property (IP) rights. It will build upon existing international rules, in particular the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement (TRIPS), to address a number of enforcement areas where countries have identified the need to strengthen the current international legal framework.

The 7th Round of ACTA Negotiations are going on now in Guadalajara, Mexico and we are encouraged by the administration’s continued efforts to work with our trading partners towards a comprehensive and robust agreement. If fully implemented, ACTA has the potential to raise the bar for IP protection and enforcement around the world. It is our firm belief that concluding an agreement this year will help protect U.S. jobs, American consumers, and stimulate our economy.
 
Given the importance of this agreement to our economy and to consumers, we must not allow ACTA to be derailed by a minority opposed to protecting the rights of artists, inventors, and entrepreneurs. The U.S. Chamber has also been supportive of greater transparency in these talks. We recognize the constraints of international trade negotiations; however, we urge the administration to ensure the Congressional committees of jurisdiction—as representatives of the American people—are fully briefed on the scope of the ACTA negotiations and why concluding this agreement expeditiously is in the country’s best interests.