STOPfakes News - 2010

In coordination with the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, the Department of Commerce is conducting a comprehensive review of existing U.S. Government efforts to educate, guide, and provide resources on intellectual property rights (IPR) to U.S. businesses. The goal of the review is to improve efforts to support U.S. businesses facing barriers related to IPR protection and enforcement in overseas markets. The Department of Commerce invites public input and participation in shaping such government programs, and a Federal Register Notice published on September 29, 2010, has questions and requests for comments that can be completed and submitted online. Visit www.regulations.gov and search for docket number ITA-2010-0006. Submissions are due October 29, 2010. (Federal Register Notice)

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), on behalf of the U.S. Department of Commerce, held a public meeting on July 1, 2010, to discuss the relationship of copyright policy, creativity, and innovation in the Internet economy. The agencies explored the changing nature of infringement and whether those changes suggest gaps in copyright law. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property David Kappos and U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator Victoria Espinel participated. The day-long symposium was part of an ongoing series of events sponsored by the Commerce Department’s newly created Internet Policy Task Force, which is charged with conducting a comprehensive review of the nexus between privacy policy, copyright, global free flow of information, cybersecurity, and innovation in the Internet economy. (Commerce Blog)

In accordance with the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act (PRO-IP Act), the U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator (IPEC), Victoria Espinel, recently released a Joint Strategic Plan against counterfeiting and infringement. In addition to considering more than 1,600 public comments in preparing the Plan, the IPEC’s office worked closely across numerous Federal agencies, including the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Justice, and State, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and the U.S. Copyright Office. The strategy contains more than thirty concrete recommendations for improvement, falling into six main categories: leading by example, increasing transparency, ensuring efficiency and coordination, enforcing rights internationally, securing the supply chain, and building a data-driven government. (White House Blog) (Joint Strategic Plan)

On April 30, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) issued the annual Special 301 Report assessing the intellectual property rights (IPR) regimes of U.S. trading partners. This annual report reviews IPR protection and enforcement efforts made around the world and provides important country-specific information used by policy-makers to address challenges of IPR protection. (ITA Press Release) (USTR Press Release) (2010 Special 301 Report)