American IP in 2017: Let’s Grow
As Congress begins its 115th session and a new president prepares to enter the White House, the public policy agenda is top of mind.
Policymakers are searching for new ways to create jobs and foster economic growth.
To these policymakers we say: business knows what’s good for business.
Yesterday, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue gave the annual “State of American Business” address.
Mr. Donohue was clear: 2017 will be a big year. New challenges and new opportunities make way for new priorities for the entire business community.
In the intellectual property (IP) space, we must consider two major priorities.
We must:
Harness the power of trade agreements to protect IP and enforce against IP infringement.
And:
Create, maintain, and enforce strong IP protections to unleash unparalleled innovation and ingenuity into our economy.
While these goals are simply stated, the work required to accomplish them will be more complex.
We’ll educate the new Congress and presidential administration on the value of high IP standards; we’ll host constructive conversations on patent reform, U.S. Copyright Office modernization, and other hot-button issues that could hit the House and Senate floors.
We’ll advocate for the implementation of the White House Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator’s recently released Joint Strategic Plan on IP Enforcement, pushing its recommendations into reality.
We’ll share the dangerous implications of the global counterfeit economy with consumers, businesses, and governments alike.
We’ll use the 2017 International IP Index, “The Roots of Innovation,” to continue the dialogue with 45 economies across the world on the steps their countries can take towards healthier IP systems.
We’ll gather the entire IP community for the 2017 IP Summit, and give IP’s leading thinkers and doers a platform to voice their ideas about the IP climate.
We’ll work a lot in 2017.
Still, even greater than the work will be the reward.
Right now, IP supports more than $6 trillion in U.S. GDP, 81 industries, and more than 45 million jobs. That’s almost one in every three jobs in the workforce.
If we continue to invest in IP, these numbers grow even larger.
So, let’s grow.
The future of American business is bright, as is the future of American IP. We look forward to a productive 2017.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Elliot is executive vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Intellectual Property Center.
