infoJustice

IP ENFORCEMENT ROUNDUP

U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator Releases Annual Report

On February 8, the IP Czar released the IPEC Annual Report to the President and Congress.  The report describes efforts to increase criminal enforcement, to promote increased IP enforcement abroad through trade policy, and to enlist industry to voluntarily fight online infringement.  It says that the office of the IP Enforcement Coordinator is currently reviewing existing laws and preparing a white paper of legislative proposals, and it summarizes the major enforcement activities of the Copyright Office, U.S. Trade Representative, and the Departments of Commerce, Homeland security, Justice, and State.  Click here for more.

Upcoming Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing: “Targeting Websites Dedicated To Stealing American Intellectual Property”

On Wednesday, February 16 at 10:00, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on online piracy and efforts to shut down websites where IP-infringing content is hosted.  The witnesses will include representatives from Rosetta Stone, the Authors Guild, Go Daddy, Verizon, and Visa.  In the last Congress, the Judiciary Chairman Leahy sponsored the Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA).  Click here for more.

US Trade Representative Staff Indicates Willingness to Move Away from 2007 Policy Compromise on IP and Medicines

In a February 3 meeting with PIJIP and Public Citizen, USTR Staff indicated that the policy compromise reached between Congressional leadership and the Bush administration on May 10, 2007 will not serve as a guide for the US position in TPP negotiations.  The compromise limited US demands on data exclusivity, linkage and patent extensions beyond the 20 years required by TRIPS. When asked if the US proposals for intellectual property in the TPP would conform to this, USTR said: “The value of the May 10th agreement is showing what congress believed at that time. We are committed to a high standard agreement. The matrix [for TPP] is how the issue should be treated today.” Click here for more.

White House Establishes Two Intellectual Property Advisory Committees

The President has issued an executive order establishing committees to advise the IP Enforcement Coordinator in the implementation of the Joint Strategic Plan required by the PRO IP Act.  IP Enforcement Coordinator Victoria Espinel described the executive order as creating “a Cabinet level Senior Intellectual Property Enforcement Advisory Committee comprised of the heads of the Departments responsible for intellectual property enforcement, including the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, Commerce, Health and Human Services, State, Treasury, Agriculture and USTR.  The Executive Order also establishes the Intellectual Property Enforcement Advisory Committee comprised of representatives from the agencies responsible for designing and carrying out the Administration’s strategy for stopping intellectual property theft.”  Click here for more.

China’s IP Attaché to the U.S. Says Government Is Boosting IP Enforcement

At a “Broadband Breakfast” event in Washington DC, China’s IP Attaché Fuli Chen said that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has addressed the importance of intellectual property enforcement in the media, and the government’s State Council has started a campaign to increase enforcement.  A forthcoming report by the Chinese government will show progress made on this campaign.  Click here for a description of the event from Broadband Breakfast, as well as a link to the webcast.

Upcoming Events and Deadlines

• February 15, 2011: Deadline for submitting comments to the U.S. Trade Representative for the 2011 Special 301 Report.
• February 15, 2011: Deadline for submitting comments to the U.S. Trade Representative for the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement.
• February 16, 2011: U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on “Targeting Websites Dedicated to Stealing American Intellectual Property.”
• February 18, 2011: Technical Symposium on Patents, Access to Medicines.  Sponsored by WHO, WTO, WIPO.
• More Events and Deadlines