Intellectual Property and TPP

It will be interesting to see what the New Zealand reaction is to this May 17 release from the US Chamber of Commerce - this is the text only:


The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) today applauded members of the U.S. Senate for their support of strong intellectual property (IP) protections in the current negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), citing abipartisan letter from 28 Senators to President Barack Obama urging strong intellectual property provisions in the trade agreement. 
“With the United States and eight other countries engaged in the negotiations, the TPP is envisioned as a cutting-edge trade accord that will serve as a doorway through which American exporters can better access the booming markets of Asia,” said Mark Elliot, GIPC’s executive vice president. Pointing to the leadership of Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) for spearheading the letter, Elliot said, “Senators Hatch, Cantwell, and the other signatories should be commended for their strong support for advancing the protection of America’s IP-intensive industries globally and for recognizing the important precedential value of the TPP in the Asia Pacific region and beyond.” 
The bipartisan letter highlights the economic contributions of America’s IP-intensive industries and the crucial role strong intellectual property protection plays in promoting the vitality of these industries. The letter also urges the administration to not only seek the highest IP standards as it finalizes the proposals, but to also reject any efforts to weaken IP protection as compared with high-standard agreements such as the U.S.—Korea Free Trade Agreement. 
“The economic growth and global competitiveness of the United States hinges on our ability to foster innovation and creativity,” added Elliot. “Senators Hatch and Cantwell should be commended for their support and advocacy for protecting the ingenuity and inventiveness of U.S. businesses and the 19 million American workers whose jobs depend on intellectual property.”
The Chamber’s Global Intellectual Property Center is working around the world to champion intellectual property (IP) rights as vital to creating jobs, saving lives, advancing global economic growth, and generating breakthrough solutions to global challenges.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.