Stakeholders React to Free Trade Agreements' Intellectual Property Rights Provisions

摘要

The three free trade agreements—with South Korea, Colombia and Panama—approved by Congress Oct. 12 and awaiting President Obama's signature have generated only a muted reaction by those who typically seek to limit intellectual property rights, even though the FTAs contain many of the same IP provisions of two other controversial trade agreements. The copyright- owning industries were effusive in their praise of Congress's actions. For example, a press release by the Business Software Alliance said, "All three agreements include world-class intellectual property provisions that will help spur technology innovation in the United States and among our trading partners."