Eileen McDermott, New York
The US Chamber of Commerce’s Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) held a press conference on Thursday outlining its goals for 2009, which include obtaining full funding for the 2008 PRO-IP Act.
The conference was held after the GIPC’s release of its Innovation and Intellectual Property Recommendations to president-elect Barack Obama and the 111th Congress.Among other recommendations, the GIPC calls for Obama to select an IP enforcement coordinator – an executive branch position created by the PRO-IP Act – within the first 100 days of his term and to support the introduction, passage and enactment of a bill to strengthen Customs’ ability to identify and seize fake goods.The GIPC recommendations also emphasise the need to choose other key IP appointments, including the USPTO director, the US Trade Representative and the new White House Chief Technology Officer, within the first 100 days of the administration.
Speaking at yesterday’s briefing, David Hirschmann, senior vice president of the Chamber of Commerce and GIPC president and CEO, said that, with the PRO-IP Act, “the tools are in place for the new administration to make a game-changing effort to protect IP”. Rick Cotton, executive vice president and general counsel at NBC Universal and chairman of the GIPC, said: “In that framework, we are hopeful that the incoming Obama administration will recognise the economic importance of innovation and creativity.”
Cotton added that the position of IP enforcement coordinator represents “a significant and historic opportunity” for the new administration.The panellists said that the Chamber has met with the Obama transition team once to discuss IP initiatives and that there has been pressure on many fronts for the new administration to take action on IP enforcement. Speakers said achieving full funding for the PRO-IP Act will be “an ongoing process”. The Center would also like to increase resources for the IP division of the US Customs and Border Protection. The panel told Managing IP that, although they were unable to persuade the Department of Homeland Security in the Bush administration that IP enforcement should be a priority for Customs authorities, they hope that the new Congress and administration will be more receptive.
In response to critics of the PRO-IP Act who say that certain provisions enabling law enforcement agents to seize property from copyright infringers raise privacy issues, the panellists said that the bill is aimed at organised crime networks and not individual consumers. “In these uncertain economic times, it is more critical than ever that our government aggressively protect the rights of the innovative sectors,” said Cotton.
From:www.managingip.com
