Intellectual Property
Key Points
- Call on the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to employ all available trade policy mechanisms to protect intellectual property including ensuring that any trade agreement into which the United States enters protects innovation and intellectual property rights.
- Call on the Departments of State, Commerce, Homeland Security and Justice to emphasize protection of intellectual property rights among its embassy and law enforcement personnel overseas providing guidance to and enabling them to serve as effective advocates and enforcers of intellectual property rights.
- Support initiatives to shut down illicit websites globally that traffic in counterfeit goods and facilitate digital theft.
Innovation and the intellectual property (IP) often underpinning it are crucial drivers of human progress. Innovation saves lives, facilitates human connections that have even sparked revolutions and entertains and enchants people around the globe. Pharmaceuticals, computer operating systems, social networking sites and films are all tangible examples of the intellectual property that improve quality of life worldwide. IP rights and enforcement of those rights globally is vital to the continued flow of future new inventions as free markets depend on IP and the resulting innovation.
Intellectual property is also a potent economic and career creation engine. Nations, like the U.S., that protect IP rights attract more foreign direct investment and are rewarded with economic growth and jobs in high-value-added industries, including high-tech, fashion, automotive, medical, energy, entertainment, electronics, biotech, and green technologies. Millions of Americans in all 50 states are employed in IP-intensive business sectors at higher than average wages, and these industries drive a disproportionate share of U.S. exports.
And while globalization and the digital age have been a boon to innovation and creativity, they have also presented new and complex challenges to the protection of intellectual property. Counterfeit goods often sold on illicit websites pose a threat to consumer health and safety as well as to the nation’s economy. Cyberattacks into the computer networks of some of America’s most successful businesses threaten the security of their trade secrets and other intellectual property and in many parts of the world pirated versions of software, films and music are more common than legitimate ones. There are measures that can be taken to safeguard intellectual property and America’s innovation economy.
Model Policies
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Resolution Supporting the Intellectual Property (IP) Provisions in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Final
Whereas, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) policy on free trade acknowledges that, “the imposition of artificial barriers to free and open trade…are deterrents to American economic interests;” and Whereas, the United States, Canada and Mexico share a belief in freedom, representative democracy and market principles as recognized in the …
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Draft Resolution Urging the Presidential Administration and Congress to Support Stronger Intellectual Property Protections in an Updated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Final
Whereas, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) policy on free trade acknowledges that, “the imposition of artificial barriers to free and open trade…are deterrents to American economic interests;” and Whereas, the United States, Canada and Mexico share a belief in freedom, representative democracy and market principles as recognized in the U.S.
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Draft Resolution Urging the Presidential Administration and Congress to Support International Trade and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Final
Whereas, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) policy on free trade acknowledges that, “the imposition of artificial barriers to free and open trade…are deterrents to American economic interests;” and Whereas, a longstanding, close tri-lateral relationship, codified in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), has existed between the United States, …
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Resolution Urging Canada’s Trudeau Administration to Protect Intellectual Property Rights by Dismantling the Promise Doctrine and Opposing Similar Initiatives Proposed by Trading Partners Worldwide Final
WHEREAS, the right to own property is a fundamental human right; and WHEREAS, protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR) are crucial to the future of the innovation-based economy; and WHEREAS, creating an environment where property rights are protected and legally enforced contributes to social and economic growth and …
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Resolution to Combat Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals Sunset Review
WHEREAS, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) recognizes the importance of protecting intellectual property (IP) rights including patented pharmaceuticals regardless of national borders; and WHEREAS, protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR) are crucial to the future of the innovation-based economy; and WHEREAS, intellectual property infringement can undermine our …
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Resolution on the Importance of International Intellectual Property Rights Protections Sunset Review
WHEREAS, America’s Founding Fathers thought protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) was so important that they enshrined it in the U.S. Constitution in Article I, Section 8, Clause 8; and WHEREAS, the rule of law is fundamental to the protection of all property rights, including IPR; and WHEREAS, the failure …