For Immediate Release: May 3, 2010
Contact: Mary Trupo (202) 482-3809
Protecting Intellectual Property Rights Remains Top Priority
Commerce Under Secretary Reiterates Commitment to IPR Protection
WASHINGTON – Commerce Under Secretary for International Trade Francisco Sánchez reiterated the International Trade Administration’s (ITA) commitment to intellectual property rights (IPR) protection following the recent release of the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) Annual Special 301 report.
Sánchez has made IPR a priority of ITA and is dedicated to continue working with U.S. trading partners to resolve shortfalls cited in this year’s Special 301 report.
“Counterfeiting and piracy not only hurt the national economy and eliminate American jobs, but also threaten the health and safety of consumers worldwide,” Sánchez said. “Strong intellectual property regimes, on the other hand, support economic growth and competitiveness, including by promoting exports.”
The report assesses the IPR regimes of U.S. trading partners. It reviews international IPR protection and enforcement efforts and provides important country-specific information used by policy-makers to address the challenges of IPR protection.
“Earlier this year, President Obama set an ambitious goal to double exports in the next five years,” Sánchez noted. “The U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimates that IPR drives more than half of U.S. exports. It is clear that IPR protection and enforcement, both at home and abroad, are essential to our export strategy.”
The 2010 report highlights several successes in the fight against intellectual property theft in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. The United States will continue to monitor all three trading partners’ progress to ensure that IPR protection and enforcement improvements are ongoing.
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International Trade Administration
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