The Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA) filed recommendations w...
The Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA) filed recommendations with the U.S. Trade Representative for the agency’s Special 301 report, which identifies countries that don’t protect intellectual property rights adequately (IPR) or that deny market access to U.S. businesses dependent on…
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IPR. The group -- which includes the Business Software Alliance, MPAA, RIAA and Entertainment Software Assn. -- described protection or enforcement problems in 68 countries and recommended 46 of those be added to the 301 list. IIPA attributed $15.8 billion in losses to piracy in the 68 countries in 2005; that figure doesn’t include online piracy. Russia came out worst in piracy severity, with rates of 70-80% in most sectors. IIPA called Russia-based AllOfMP3.com -- a pay-download site that IP groups say doesn’t have copyright permission for its files -- “one of the world’s most open and notorious websites” for infringement. Another 16 countries should be added to USTR’s Priority Watch List, including several Latin American, Middle Eastern and southeast Asian countries, such as Argentina, Israel and China, it said. IIPA praised Paraguay for improved antipiracy efforts but said more is needed and it should remain on the 301 list. Several other countries should be reviewed out of cycle this year, including Canada, Brazil and Saudi Arabia, for progress in reducing piracy, IIPA said. The group also cited 7 “global priorities” for 2006: (1) Enforcement and deterrents against copyright piracy. (2) Internet piracy, e-commerce and World Intellectual Property Organization Internet treaties. (3) Optical disk piracy and regulation. (4) Tackling organized- crime piracy. (5) Handling end-user piracy of business software. (6) Addressing piracy of books and journals. (7) Using Free Trade Agreements to improve global standards for protection and enforcement.