[Commons-Law] US announces global intellectual-property plan

[Sunil Abraham]

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/business/0,39020645,39220179,00.htm
The Bush administration on Wednesday announced new plans to expand its
crackdown on intellectual-property infringement overseas.

During California visits with high-tech and movie industry
representatives, Commerce Department secretary Carlos Gutierrez
described two new programmes aimed at eroding intellectual property
infringement, which the department claims costs US businesses $250bn
(£138bn) and 750,000 jobs per year.

"The protection of intellectual property is vital to our economic growth
and global competitiveness, and it has major consequences in our ongoing
effort to promote security and stability around the world," he said.

One programme would place intellectual property experts on the ground in
regions where infringement is considered a concern. There they would
work with overseas US businesses and native government officials to
advocate improved intellectual-property rights protection, according to
a department fact sheet.

Experts will be sent to Brazil, India, Russia, Thailand, China and the
Middle East and serve a five-year tour of duty, the fact sheet said. One
such expert is already on the job in Beijing, but it was unclear when
the others would be dispatched or who they would be.

Another programme, called the Global Intellectual Property Rights
Academy, would train foreign judges, enforcement officials and other
stakeholders in international intellectual property "obligations" and
best practices. The academy, overseen by the US Patent and Trademark
Office, plans to convene in 24 sessions in 2006, paying all travel
expenses for the foreign participants, who will come from many of the
same areas where experts will be working.

The Commerce Department has recently taken other actions intended to
combat international intellectual-property infringement. In July,
President Bush created within the department a senior-level position —
the coordinator for international intellectual-property enforcement. The
department also plans to continue holding small-business outreach
seminars nationwide.

The Business Software Alliance was quick to applaud the announcement. In
a press release, the organization cited survey results that pegged rates
of usage of unlicensed software at 90 percent in China, 87 percent in
Russia, 74 percent in India, 70 percent in Thailand, 64 percent in
Brazil and 58 percent in the Middle East.

"In all those countries, there's a long history of bilateral discussions
on IPR issues," said Robert Holleyman, chief executive of BSA. "So I
think they will be very receptive to getting on-the-ground systems to
help with this effort."

Holleyman said he hoped the programmes would ultimately raise revenue
for US companies and resellers selling in foreign markets and for
companies native to those markets. 

-- 
Sunil Abraham, sunil at mahiti.org http://www.mahiti.org
314/1, 7th Cross, Domlur Bangalore - 560 071 Karnataka, INDIA
Ph/Fax: +91 80 51150580. Mob: (91) 9342201521
UK: (44) 02000000259
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 189 bytes
Desc: This is a digitally signed message part
Url : http://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/commons-law/attachments/20050922/24e5b2f9/attachment.bin