U.S., Russia agree to IPR action plan

   The United States and Russia have agreed to an Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Action Plan to improve IPR protection and enforcement.
   The IPR Action Plan addresses priority areas including combating IPR infringement over the Internet and strengthening IPR enforcement. 
   “Agreement on the IPR Action Plan represents a significant step at a historic time in our bilateral economic relationship,” said U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk in a statement Friday. “With this step, Russia and the United States have demonstrated a serious commitment to continued engagement on strengthening IPR protection and enforcement.”
   He added that “IPR theft is among the chief threats to any innovative economy. Intellectual property rights not only protect our creators and innovators, but also promote foreign investment, economic development, and job creation.”
   The plan focuses on a broad range of IPR priorities, including:

• Combating copyright piracy over the Internet, including actions such as takedowns of infringing content, action against persons responsible for IPR crimes, coordination with rights holders, cooperation and information exchange between IPR enforcement officials, and devotion of resources and personnel to law enforcement agencies to combat piracy over the Internet.
• Enhancing IPR enforcement, including actions against counterfeiting, piracy, and circumventing technological protection measures; imposing deterrent penalties and sentences; conducting raids; seizing and, where appropriate, destroying IPR infringing products and the equipment and materials used to produce the fake products; and promoting transparency and public awareness of IPR enforcement actions.
• Coordinating legislation and other issues, including Russia’s draft legislation on liability for Internet service providers to combat Internet piracy, consulting on implementation of Russia’s World Trade Organization pharmaceutical test data protection commitments, administrative penalties, and exchanging information on enforcement and best practices for judges.

   In 2013, the United States will work closely with Russia on bilateral IPR protection and enforcement coordination, including through the United States of America-Russian Federation Intellectual Property Working Group. “This work will focus systematically on Russia taking actions identified in the IPR Action Plan,” the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said.