HCR230NOV18

TheWeekInCongress.com

Week Ending November 18, 2005

H.CON.RES.230 Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Russian Federation must protect intellectual property rights.

<< Click flag for map and country data, Russia

BRIEF

Protecting copyrights around the world is a frequent concern of Congress although it is international treaties, not resolutions like this one that do the actual protecting. nevertheless, the Resolution preamble concludes that despite those treaties Russia is notorious for violating copyright treaties between it and the US.

The copyright industry has claimed losses to $1.7 billion from such infringement in 2004.

As Russia attempts to join the World Trade Organization Congress suggests in the Resolution that straightening out the alleged violations would be appropriate.

Sponsor: Representative Darrell E. Issa (R-CA-49^th)

Vote: Passed House 421 to 2 (RC 593) November 16, 2005

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost.

MORE INFORMATION

Whereas Russia remains on the Special 301 Priority Watch List compiled by the United States Trade Representative (USTR), and the Congress is gravely concerned about the failure of the Russian Federation to live up to international standards in the protection of intellectual property rights, a core American asset;

Whereas the Congress wants to ensure that the Russian Federation redoubles its efforts to adopt and enforce aggressive laws, policies, and practices in the fight against piracy and counterfeiting;

Whereas the Congress is particularly concerned that the Russian Federation is, in the words of Senate Concurrent Resolution 28, a place where `piracy that is open and notorious is permitted to operate without meaningful hindrance from the government';

Whereas, according to USTR, enforcement of intellectual property rights in Russia `remains weak and caused substantial losses for the U.S. copyright, trademark, and patent industries in the last year. Piracy in all copyright sectors continues unabated, and the U.S. copyright industry estimated losses of $1.7 billion in 2004.';

Whereas the Russian Federation must understand that failure to adequately protect and enforce intellectual property rights will have political and economic ramifications for its relationship with the United States;

Whereas accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) represents an agreement to conform one's practices to the rule of law, and to international standards in the WTO Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS);

Whereas notwithstanding some recent legislative improvements, Russia's regime to protect intellectual property rights does not conform with TRIPS standards;

Whereas the United States can ill afford deterioration of the world trading system by permitting the entry of a country into the WTO that has not demonstrated its willingness and ability to conform its practices to the requirements of the TRIPS; and

Whereas the leaders of the G-8, including President Putin of the Russian Federation, recently pledged to reduce intellectual property piracy through more effective enforcement: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that--

(1) the Russian Federation should provide adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights, or it risks losing its eligibility to participate in the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program; and

(2) as part of its effort to accede to the World Trade Organization, the Russian Federation must ensure that intellectual property is securely protected in law and in practice, by demonstrating that the country is willing and able to meet its international obligations in this respect.

Passed the House of Representatives November 16, 2005.

No reproduction or distribution without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.