Countries Release Text of Anti-Piracy Pact

TOKYO/WASHINGTON, D.C.: The text for the proposed Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) has been made public, as some 40 countries across North America, Asia and Europe look to battle the global trade in pirated goods.

The release of the proposals followed a round of negotiations in Tokyo from September 23 to October 2 between Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland and the U.S. The participants agreed to work expeditiously to resolve the small number of outstanding issues that require further examination in their own countries, with a view to finalizing the text of the agreement as soon as possible.

ACTA provides an international framework to combat piracy in the 21st century. The agreement also includes provisions to deepen international cooperation and to promote strong enforcement practices.

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk commented, “This text reflects tremendous progress in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy—a global crime wave that robs workers in the United States and around the world of good-paying jobs and exposes consumers to dangerous products. The leadership shown by our ACTA partners in reaching solutions on tough issues should send a strong message to pirates and counterfeiters that they have no place in the channels of legitimate trade. We must now work quickly with our partners to finalize the results achieved in the Tokyo. This work represents a significant victory for those who care about protecting and enforcing intellectual property rights.”