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Enforcement of Intellectual Property
Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA)
The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), under negotiation by the US, EU, Japan, and a handful of other developed countries, would establish an international norm of TRIPS-Plus intellectual property enforcement. Negotiations have been highly secretive, though in April 2009 the negotiating text circulated by the US and Japan was leaked to the public.
WHO International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Taskforce (IMPACT)
The World Health Organization launched the International Medical Products
Anti-Counterfeiting Taskforce (IMPACT) in 2006 with the stated goal of forging
international collaboration against the growing health risks posed by counterfeit medicines. Health advocates have questioned why a health body should trademark and copyright enforcement activities.
Survey of International Efforts to Strengthen Enforcement
Many overlapping efforts to strengthen the enforcement of IP have sprung up in recent years. These include ACTA, as well as initiatives within the World Health Organization, the World Customs Organization, APEC, the G8 and the Global Congress Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy. Domestic legislation has been introduced in nations as varied as the US and Kenya, and industry initiatives that compliment these broader efforts.
Special 301 Watch PIJIP is creating a new project to analyze US bilateral trade pressures against countries perceived to have inadequate intellectual property protection. The US Trade Representative annually outlines its grievances against other countries in the Special 301 Report, which is highly influenced by industries seeking higher levels of copyright, patent, trademark, and other IP protection.
US Legislation to Strenthen Enforcement of Intellectual Property
Bills in the 110th Congress to strengthen the enforcement of intellectual property included S. 3325, the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights Act. This legislation would authorize the US AG to enforce civil copyright laws; strengthen penalties against noncommercial copiers; and coordinate federal efforts against counterfeiting and piracy through the creation of an "IP Czar."
Background and Scholarly Articles
There is a growing body of literature on the industry-driven agenda to strengthen intellectual property enforcement. This page begins to survey this literature.
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