Tackling Old Problems With New Ideas
![Thousands of counterfeit watches, seized during a Philadelphia-area investigation, are set before a rolling compactor to be destroyed, in Philadelphia, April 26, 2010. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and Customs and Border Protection officials smashed the bogus watches to mark the 40th anniversary of World Intellectual Property Day. [AP File Photo]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20130302082359im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0510_watches_ipr_m.jpg)
Jose W. Fernandez serves as Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs.
Last week, the U.S. Department of State and non-profit industry group the Center for Responsible Enterprise and Trade (CREATe.org), partnered to host a roundtable discussion, "Safeguarding Intellectual Property and Preventing Corruption in Global Markets." During the session, leaders from industry, government agencies, academia and non-governmental organizations discussed the increased penetration of counterfeit goods in the global supply chain, and the urgent need for collaborative public and private sector initiatives to improve supply chain integrity.
At the heart of the discussion was a central question: How can the business community, governments, and civil society generate new approaches to the immense challenges of protecting intellectual property rights and fighting corruption in the global economy? Unquestionably, the business, economic, and societal costs caused by the absence of a functioning rules-based trading system are severe. Despite increased efforts by industry and the government, global companies from all sectors continue to experience significant economic losses from piracy, counterfeit products, theft of trade secrets and corruption, along with increasing reputational risks and harm.
While there are certainly no easy answers, Deputy Secretary of State Tom Nides described Secretary Clinton's economic statecraft agenda as part of the solution. He highlighted that economic statecraft is a Department-wide initiative that mobilizes all staff toward putting the American people back to work by creating better conditions abroad for U.S. exporters and investors through good governance, regulatory transparency, and protection of intellectual property rights worldwide.
Participants from both the public and private sector shared information about their efforts to address trade barriers caused by intellectual property theft and corruption. Businesses talked about their efforts to build strong compliance cultures, improve processes for protecting IP, and discourage corruption. Participants expressed the need to work together to identify best practices and develop new collaborative approaches to improve IP protection and enforcement.
Today, we had leaders from multiple industry sectors and government agencies engaged and intently focused on exploring new, collaborative approaches to meeting these complex challenges of ending corruption and rampant violation of intellectual property rights. Working together we can secure the global supply chain, promote public health and safety and create the conditions for the innovative businesses of tomorrow to flourish worldwide.
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Posted under: Policy
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John in Canada writes:
"Pro-SOPA industry giants urged the White House in secretive international trade talks to adopt stronger intellectual property protections. Critics say the negotiations could usher in “draconian” provisions capable of strangling Internet freedom."
"Scores of SOPA supporters wrote President Obama this past Tuesday urging that “the United States redouble its efforts to ensure that the final TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) agreement is comprehensive and commercially meaningful and incorporates high standards for the protection and enforcement of IP rights across all industries.”
"The letter was signed by the US Chamber of Commerce, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) – all of whom have been accused of clamping down on Internet freedom."
'http://rt.com/news/sopa-supporters-pressure-obama-110/'
Laugh, laugh laugh
Massive Sony losses
Massive loss for Nintendo
Massive Panasonic losses
be careful what you wish for – give them what they want and watch their losses skyrocket – while at the same time governments will have to redirect tax revenue away from much needed efforts and direct them toward unenforceable laws to protect industries that are on the cusp of record breaking loss because they cant innovate.
These guys are the horse sellers trying to prevent car sales. They built what they fear losing on the destruction of human life – I guess in the end they will get what they deserve.
The customer proves the worth of a product or service not a CEO, Government or Courts.
Look at the austerity measures, debt, huge poverty levels – WHAT CEO THINKS THAT PEOPLE WITH NO MONEY CAN SUPPORT THEIR BUSINESSES. As poverty increases – losses will mount exponentially – poor people are bad for business or did they forget to teach this at business school?
Most of the businesses that support such draconian SOPA actions happen to sell to the customer base that is getting financially hammered into the ground– do they really think that legislation can fix this?
These pro SOPA supporters should turn on the news and watch the growing throngs of people in the streets around the world – those are their customers – they cant afford to live let alone pay for digital drivel – those crowds represent the death of business – enjoy.
Posted on Sun May 13, 2012
John in Canada writes:
The recent changes in “Americas patent laws” was a wonderful opportunity to innovate. Sadly it was a missed opportunity -instead of innovation -the patent laws just realigned with the rest of the world, essentially. Proper adjustment of the patent laws could have solved many problems with revenue streams, advanced monies to the proper hands for their work -while at the same time opening some very interesting new doors. Most of these problems boil down to the exchange of money, the perceived loss of value and the inability to actually innovate on many levels -business, government, society. Having one piece of the puzzle move while the others sit still = loss of value for everyone.
CEOs everywhere – give your clients what they want, how they want it. Wherever they want it = success. If you guys want peoples money – the consumer is always right not the CEO.
Then we have the moral,ethical,legal view – Do corporations have any right whatsoever complaining about IP rights when their products/services are manufactured with material /devices - that everyone knows contains large amounts of conflict minerals?
IP rights before human rights? If I rape, murder and commit genocide to make my product -Should I have any recourse legally if my product is stolen?
Evidently the courts of justice and governments think so. I personally dont. You cant have IP rights while serious crimes are taking place to make those IP rights possible.
lawmakers and courts that fail to recognize this, by proxy make legal the murder, death and rape of a tremendous amount of people.
When will we see the heads of corporations and some industries brought before the International criminal courts?
When this happens lets talk IP rights.
Discussing IP rights before the corruption is cleared = pointless. Virtually every industry is tainted with this.
What law or precedent protects a thief from theft of their stolen goods? (IP rights in todays world is just that) Very little justice in the world =look around at the chaos -bought and paid for in full -playing pretend wont fix it – more injustice wont fix it.
Things are so broken, a complete reset is needed.
Posted on Fri May 11, 2012