Join us next Wednesday (July 21, at 9:30 a.m.) to hear Judge Paul R. Michel, recently retired Chief Judge of the federal court that decides all patent appeals, speaks out about America's patent system. Having served the past 22 years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit as part of a
Today, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) announced the launch of "Operation In Our Sites," a new initiative aimed fighting counterfeiting and piracy over the Internet. These actions should be commended as they will
Today, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) joined BUSINESSEUROPE and the International Intellectual Property Protection Forum of Japan in calling for the conclusion of a strong Anti-Counterfeiting and Trade Agreement (ACTA). In a Tri-lateral Statement issued to
You have to go back a long way – perhaps to the invention of the printing press, or the automobile – to find a technological advancement that has had as big an impact on the world as the personal computer (PC). Not just the big ones that NASA employed to get man to the moon in the 1960s, but the on
America has a well-deserved reputation for creating and producing the most cutting-edge forms of entertainment, high technology, and consumer goods in the world. We have earned this distinction thanks in large measure to the ingenuity, hard work, and “can do” spirit that have marked our society fo
With the 15th annual E3 (Electron Entertainment Expo) just around the corner, now seems like a good time to delve into a few common—but completely bogus—reasons used by some gamers to justify their digital theft of video games. As most people know, the illegal distribution and/or reproduction of co
For the past few weeks, the Global Intellectual Property Center has been talking up the need for a national IP enforcement strategy to help streamline government wide efforts to fight IP theft. Counterfeiting and piracy kill jobs and hinder economic growth—both here and abroad; these are crimes tha
America has been called the innovation nation, and for good reason. From semi-conductors to space travel to super computers to Hollywood blockbusters, the innovative spirit and creative minds of America have been on full display for over two centuries. It is our free enterprise system that allows
This week, the WTO’s Council on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) is meeting in Geneva to discuss a number of IP issues related to the 1994 World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement. One of the items reportedly on the agenda is a discussion on the legitimacy of various so
Last week, the Global IP Center had the pleasure of hosting Ashifi Gogo—a Ghanaian-born entrepreneur and CEO of Sproxil, Inc.—as part of the GIPC’s Speaker Series designed to raise awareness of topical intellectual property (IP) issues. Growing up in West Africa—where counterfeit medicines constitu
Imagine having a chronic disease that is treatable through a prescription drug, or even something than can be purchased over the counter. Not hard to do.
Now imagine that the medicine you bought—either online or in a store—is a fake drug whose shape, color, packaging, and even markings, look like
The Chamber’s Global IP Center commends today’s joint statement by President Barack Obama and President Felipe Calderón that “the protection of intellectual property rights is essential to promote…. innovation and investment.” As the GIPC has long state, innovation and creativity, which are both in
This morning, the Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus released its much-awaited 2010 Watch List of those countries who are failing to live up to their international obligations to protect intellectual property (IP) rights, and as a result are stunting America’s ability to rebuild its eco
Today, the Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy (CACP) and the Copyright Alliance ran an ad in Politico highlighting the broad range of support for the protection of intellectual property (IP) and its impact on America’s economy and job creation. Support includes voices from business, labor,
The 2010 Special 301 Report once again signifies the importance of intellectual property to our economy. As this report suggests, violations of IP rights are an impediment to economic growth, innovation, and job creation around the world. It also serves as a reminder that nations that do not play
Congress capped off today what has been a busy couple days for intellectual property in the nation’s capital. Just a short while ago, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed H. Res 1208, a resolution celebrating World IP Day that emphasizes the benefits of intellectual property (IP) to o
For forty years now, we have celebrated Earth Day. And with each passing decade we have become more and more aware of the importance of sound environmental stewardship for ourselves and our children. We have made great progress over the years, but we also realize that more must be done to protect o
Today’s release of the ACTA text marks a major stride towards greater transparency, and will help enhance support for this important agreement. Publication of the negotiating text will show that many of the claims made by ACTA critics and anti-IP activists to stop this agreement were false. ACTA
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce commends USTR and the other negotiating partners for this major step forward, and the progress they are making to complete a comprehensive ACTA this year. We particularly laud their decision to release the draft text. This announcement should address many of the erroneo
As Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Congressman Howard Berman has been a dedicated advocate for the protection of intellectual property (IP) rights—a crucial component of our economic growth and jobs creation. Today, Chairman Berman and Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Il
The Government Accountability Office's (GAO) release today of its Intellectual Property (IP) Report to Congress (Intellectual Property: Observations of Efforts to Quantify the Economic Effects of Counterfeit and Pirated Goods - PDF) reiterates what government officials, law enforcement, independent
In a recent Washington Post column, Jack Goldsmith and Lawrence Lessig voiced their concerns about the anti-counterfeiting and trade agreement known as ACTA. What we need to keep in focus here is the importance a strong ACTA has on America’s economic recovery.
A strong ACTA will enhance internatio
by Mark Esper
Several weeks ago, the White House’s top official in charge of intellectual property—the U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator (IPEC)—requested public comments regarding the nation’s first-ever National IP Strategy. As such, the U.S. Chamber’s Global IP Center (GIPC) submi
A new study released today by the International Chamber of Commerce's Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP), predicts job losses due to piracy to reach as high as 1.2 million and €240 billion ($327 billion) in lost retail revenue by 2015 for the European Union. The study is ano
The President's comments today highlighting the importance of intellectual property to our nation's economy come at a pivotal time, and should be lauded. Our economic recovery, and the jobs that will come with it, depend on the innovation and creativity of the American people. And so protecting IP
When two of America’s most prominent voices on jobs and the economy say the same thing, well, it is time to take notice. When it’s the US Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO, then Washington should really pay attention. At its recent meeting in Orlando, the AFL-CIO Executive Council released a stat
Earlier today, in his testimony before the Senate Finance Committee on President Obama's 2010 Trade Policy Agenda, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk stated that opening new markets and bolstering enforcement tools will be the main focus of his efforts this year. This agenda, he said, will support
by Mark Esper
Today’s release of the 2010 International Property Rights Index (IPRI) by the Property Rights Alliance highlights once again the importance intellectual property rights (IPR) play in growing economies, improving living standards, and creating jobs around the world.
The report makes c
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been notifying dozens of organizations around the country of possible security and personal identification breaches related to the use of peer to peer (P2P) file sharing networks. This is not the first time we’ve been warned about dangers lurking on the Intern
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder earlier today announced the formation of a new Department of Justice Task Force on Intellectual Property. Not only is this initiative another step forward in our fight against the growing crimes of intellectual property (IP) theft, it is also a critical recognition
The weather in Miami leading up to this weekend’s Super Bowl has been erratic to say the least. And while I’m no meteorologist, there’s one prediction I can make with confidence: one team will come out on top and thousands of vendors will be hawking counterfeit NFL merchandise to football fans in
Last week, United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk announced the designation of an Assistant USTR for Small Business, Market Access, and Industrial Competitiveness. The newly created position will help address the challenges facing small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that sell thei
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
Online piracy represents ten percent of all U.S. books downloaded from the Internet, accounting for potential revenue losses to publishers of $2.75 - 3 billion according to a new study. These stunning numbers and other findings are included in Attributor’s U.S. Book Anti-Piracy Research Findings.
Yesterday, the U.S. Chamber's Global IP Center submitted comments in response to the Federal Communications Commission's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). The purpose of these comments was to express our strong belief that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) must retain the ability to manage illi
Throughout time, innovation and creativity have been the catalyst for our economic and cultural growth and scientific advancements—from novel medicines that save lives and "green technologies" that will help protect the environment, to the movies, music and software that define America. We owe much
by Mark Esper
Despite the lack of real agreement in Copenhagen, there is clearly a consensus among the nations gathered that climate change must be addressed. All agree as well that new and innovative technologies will be critical to helping nations deal with global warming adaptation and mitigatio
Tuesday’s White House roundtable discussion on the monumental problems of counterfeiting and piracy is another indication of the value being placed on intellectual property (IP) as a job creator, driver of innovation and creativity, and integral part of the American economy. I commend Vice Presiden
Recently, anti-intellectual property rights activists have misstated the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s position on access to copyrighted materials for the visually impaired and other persons with disabilities.
The Chamber supports increased copyright access for the visually-impaired, including measure
Intellectual property (IP)—those "creations of the mind" that result in new inventions and works of art, for example-- continues to be recognized as a job creator and a pivotal component of our economy. The latest example of this can be found in the Omnibus Appropriations Conference report—the mean
As the world gathers over the next two weeks in Copenhagen to reach consensus on how to address our climate change challenges, a bevy of "other" issues – all related in some way to climate change – will be taken up. Among those will be intellectual property (IP) rights, and how they relate to the d
Since the dawn of time, human innovation and creativity have transformed the world and our place in it, in ways known and ways yet to be discovered. From microwaves and washing machines, to vaccines and jet aircraft, innovation has provided new opportunities, helped solve old problems, and made lif
This week, millions of gamers turned out for the biggest-selling launch in the history of entertainment software, the video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Some will be missing out on the action because their consoles have been rightly banned from Microsoft Xbox Live service; apparently, many
This week, U.S. officials and representatives from our key trading partners are meeting in Seoul, Korea to further negotiations on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). The Global IP Center (GIPC) is encouraged to see these efforts moving forward, as we believe an ambitious ACTA will set
Today’s Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Victoria Espinel was historic. As part of the PRO-IP Act that was signed into law last year, the Senate is moving towards confirmation of the nation’s first Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator (IPEC) who will be entrusted with the
Recognizing the importance of intellectual property to their economies, China and the United States appear to have made some progress on the protection and enforcement front at the 20th session of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) in Hangzhou, China. The JCCT session gave
Today, over 60 Democratic and Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives emphasized their support for IP rights by signing onto a bipartisan congressional letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The letter highlighted the importance of protecting IP right in negotiations leading
Last year, Congress passed the bipartisan PRO-IP Act to protect the ownership rights of inventors and creators while ensuring the products consumers use are authentic, safe and effective. President Obama's choice of Victoria Espinel as the nation's first IP enforcement coordinator is significant, a
In an address to the Hudson Valley Community College, President Obama highlighted the role innovation plays in economic growth and job creation, citing the next steps needed to lay the foundation for America's "innovation economy of the future."
The president then put forward some key themes to pr
Recently the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming held a hearing titled Roadmap for Copenhagen — Driving towards Success. At this hearing, the Obama Administration and Congress reiterated their support of intellectual property protections, citing its importance to econom
In the 2009-2010 Global Competitiveness Report, released on Tuesday by the World Economic Forum (WEF), the United States regrettably lost its crown as the world’s most competitive economy due to its current financial instability. Interestingly enough, the report emphasized the importance of innova
The Department of Justice’s recent announcement providing $1.9 million in federal grants for intellectual property (IP) enforcement is welcome news for American consumers, workers, and businesses, and DOJ should be commended for addressing the growing counterfeiting and piracy problem that is infec
The Coalition for Healthy India, sponsored by the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) today conducted the Indian launch of its report on "The Value of Incremental Pharmaceutical Innovation: Benefits for Indian Patients and Indian Business". As you may know, currently India’s patent law discriminate
On Wednesday, the World Trade Organization (WTO) rightly ruled against China's illegal practice of forcing U.S. owners of copyrighted materials to deal only with state-controlled distribution companies, an onerous requirement that drove up costs, hurt marketing, and created logistical nightmares fo
With UNFCCC climate change treaty negotiations scheduled to conclude this December in Copenhagen, the Obama Administration should be commended for its support of intellectual property (IP) rights at the ongoing talks. During this week's working group meeting in Bonn, the U.S. established its positi
President Obama announced yesterday that $2.4 billion in stimulus grants would be awarded to jump start an electric car industry in a number of Midwest states. Four dozen or so projects aimed at developing advanced batteries and other components will receive federal monies. These initiatives are es
In his radio address this past weekend, President Obama stressed that the foundation of the future American economy must be based on innovation. The president said "we need to recapture that spirit of innovation that has always moved America forward." He added that "innovation has been essential to
by Mark Esper
A short while ago here in Geneva, at the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Conference on IP and Public Policy Issues, the U.S. Chamber joined other partners in a press event to launch the Coalition on Innovation, Employment and Development. The Chamber joined this coalition, w
Ambassador Kirk's recent decision to resume negotiations on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is welcome news for our economy and intellectual property rights. This decision will hopefully lead towards the crafting of an agreement that strengthens enforcement and protects IP as a key d
A seasoned patent attorney with over twenty years experience in various intellectual property roles, David Kappos would be a strong Director for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. As the nominee for Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property, Mr. Kappos would bring an impressive resum
This week, UN climate change negotiators are meeting in Bonn, Germany for the first official round of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations. The goal of these discussions is to come up with a climate change agreement that can be approved in Copenhagen this December. As
by Mark Esper
Recently, the President honored America’s law enforcement community for the job they do in protecting the country and fighting crime. In his tribute, the president emphasized that fighting crime was vital to spurring economic recovery. I couldn’t agree more.
It is important to note th
This week, the Chamber joined other business leaders in launching the Innovation, Development & Employment Alliance (IDEA). IDEA is a coalition committed to championing the role of innovation in driving job creation and developing breakthrough solutions to global challenges. Our goal is to work to
Today, the Chamber's Europe & Eurasia team hosted Swedish Ambassador Jonas Hafström for a discussion of the priorities of the Swedish EU Presidency, which begins July 1st, and the implications for transatlantic business relations.
Ambassador Hafström listed climate change policy, energy policy, an
This afternoon, the Chamber's Europe & Eurasia team hosted Mehmet Simsek, State Minister in Charge of the Economy for Turkey. This proved to be a great opportunity for our members and us to learn more about recent developments in the Turkish economy, the role Turkey is playing in the region more br
Yesterday, the Chamber's Europe & Eurasia team had the pleasure of hosting a luncheon for Mary Coughlan, T.D., Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade, and Employment of Ireland. The purpose of the luncheon was to learn more about Ireland's role in the global economy, discuss transatlantic issu
In a Swedish court today, the founders of Pirate Bay, along with two other employees, were sentenced to one year in prison after being found guilty of making copyright-protected content accessible for illegal downloading.
Today’s ruling sends an important signal that online criminals who show such
This afternoon the Senate Finance Committee will hear testimony from former Dallas mayor Ron Kirk, President Obama’s nominee to be the next U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). Nearly two months into the administration, we are pleased to see movement on one of the most vital positions for intellectua
Earlier today, the RAND Corporation released a report documenting the startling nexus between organized crime and intellectual property theft. In "Film Piracy and its Connection to Organized Crime and Terrorism," the report's authors provide compelling evidence of "a broad… and continuing connecti
Yesterday in Philadelphia, Vice President Joe Biden launched the White House Task Force on Middle Class Working Families with an inaugural discussion on "Green Jobs: A Pathway to a Strong Middle Class." The fact that the Vice President would kick off this important initiative by focusing on green
Earlier today, President Barack Obama announced the nomination of former Washington governor Gary Locke as commerce secretary. In light of this announcement, a review of Locke’s record on intellectual property suggests a significant degree of familiarity and experience with these issues and a keen
Earlier today, President Barack Obama announced the nomination of Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) as commerce secretary. In light of this announcement, a review of Gregg’s record on intellectual property suggests a significant degree of familiarity and experience with this issue. More importantly, his
Earlier today, the Chamber’s GIPC released our "IP Protection and Enforcement Manual," a publication designed to help businesses protect their consumers and brands. The manual features case studies on proven strategies companies are implementing to protect their creative assets from criminal count
Earlier today, President-elect Barack Obama announced his selection of former Dallas mayor Ron Kirk as the next U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). In light of this announcement, a review of Kirk's record on intellectual property (IP) offers some encouraging insights about the economic benefits he at
Earlier today, President-elect Barack Obama announced his selection of Eric Holder as the next attorney general. In light of this announcement, a review of Mr. Holder’s record on intellectual property (IP) issues offers an encouraging sign about the incoming administration’s commitment to enforce
The core programming for the Summit starts tomorrow, but thanks to the Chamber’s Council on Small Business, we have a bonus session. Frank Luntz and Michael Maslansky, two of the leaders at Luntz Maslansky Strategic Research, are here to help our attendees better communicate to their customers and
