Comments received by the U.S. Trade Representative for the 2012 Special 301 Report have been posted online at regulations.gov This year, USTR received 41 comments from groups or individuals. Of these, 28 came from businesses, trade organizations, or coalitions representing…
The controversy in the United States over the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) has profound implications for the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. The SOPA debate underscores the importance of striking the proper balance in intellectual property laws to promote…
In the wake of the Stop Online Piracy Act/PROTECT IP Act (collectively, SOPA) Web protest, some commentators have pointed out that Anti Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is even worse in both substance and procedure. The secretive process through which ACTA…
REPOSTED FROM USTR: The 11th round of Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 1-9 March 2012. There will be several events for registered stakeholders to take part in during the negotiating round.…
Enclosed are my lecture notes from my talk on January 7, 2012 on a panel at the American Association of Law Schools Annual Meeting in Washington D.C. I have also included a printable version and a copy of the slides…
The Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade is seeking comments on whether it should join the Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations. Its notice asks for input on a range of topics, including “Views and experiences with the protection of…
The TPP is the latest in a dangerous shift in US trade policy towards a practice of international law making to bind the US to standards not reflected in its current law and without adequate transparency or public process. As…
Heesob Nam recently requested me to give an opinion on whether the intellectual property provisions of the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement [KORUS] are fully consistent with U.S. law. The U.S. Congress did not change its intellectual property law in its…
Inside U.S. Trade reports that Peruvian Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism Jose Luis Silva rejects the U.S. proposal for intellectual property, saying “Peru does not want to go farther than what it has agreed in the area of intellectual…
The following are notes taken by Steven Knievel from Public Citizen, who attended the hearing. The full hearing can be viewed at TPFTA Hearing, House Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Trade Panel 1, Dec. 14, 2011 Witness:…
As trade negotiators meet in Malaysia for further talks on the Trans Pacific Partnership, a number of reports and statements have been released on the impact of the intellectual property provisions proposed by the United States. Some critics focus on…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 6, 2011 CONTACTS Sean Flynn: 202-294-5749 | sflynn@wcl.american.edu Brook Baker: 617-259-0760 | b.baker@neu.edu Margot Kaminski: margot.kaminski@gmail.com As trade officials from nine countries meet in Malaysia for the tenth round of Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement negotiations, a report…