Taking International IP Issues Beyond The Broadcast
Yesterday, America Abroad Media hosted its Beyond the Broadcast event to highlight the release of its one-hour public radio program, “Counterfeit Crackdown! The Global Fight Against Pirated Goods.” The documentary addresses the global impact of illicit trade and the importance of intellectual property (IP) enforcement efforts. Dr. Aaron Lobel, AAM President, moderated the discussion, which included panelists Stan McCoy, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Intellectual Property and Innovation; Chris Israel, Former United States Coordinator for International Intellectual Property Enforcement (2005-2008) and; Naboth van den Broek, Counsel, WilmerHale.
The radio program features on the ground coverage and segments on IP enforcement from India, Eastern Europe, Africa, and the United States. The documentary also features an exclusive interview with U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator (IPEC), Victoria Espinel. In the program, Espinel notes that the issue of IP enforcement is about saving jobs, promoting economic growth, and protecting consumers from dangerous products.
The panelists discussed a wide range of issues on international IP law, challenges of enforcement, IP provisions in trade agreements, and the IPEC. Each panelist offered their own unique perspective on the challenges that face the enforcement of current IP laws and the future of what’s at stake. All participants were keen in pointing out the important economic contributions of IP to the U.S. and global economy. In particular, the panel showed consensus on the notion that developing countries are learning to harness IP as a driver of economic growth and have made strides in using IP to their advantage.
America Abroad Media’s program is a great educational tool, helping to increase understanding of the importance of IP enforcement around the world. This program illustrates the challenges faced by companies and governments around the world to stem the tide of this growing epidemic. Counterfeit Crackdown! also highlights the importance of the IPEC position and demonstrates the importance of making IP enforcement effective at home and abroad. Congress and the Administration dedicated resources to IP enforcement throughout the government, including the Office of the IPEC.
The core focus of Global IP Center is to educate and spread awareness about the value of IP as a job creating tool and a time-proven system that spurs innovation and creativity. The Counterfeit Crackdown! program is yet another educational endeavor to add to the list of new insights into this exciting and evolving issue.
