TOKYO — The United States and seven other countries signed the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement
(ACTA) at a ceremony today in Tokyo, marking an important step forward in the international fight
against trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy.
Between 10 and 20 million American jobs depend on intellectual property rights, according to
studies and industry estimates. The ACTA aims to strengthen enforcement of those rights around the
world, providing greater protection for U.S. exporters in innovative and creative industries.
“Protecting intellectual property is essential to American jobs in innovative and creative
industries. The ACTA provides a platform for the Obama Administration to work cooperatively with
other governments to advance the fight against counterfeiting and piracy,” said U.S. Trade
Representative Ron Kirk on the occasion of the signing. “Today marks a major milestone in the
process of putting this Agreement into force.”
All eleven ACTA negotiating parties attended the ceremony. Representatives of Australia,
Canada, Japan, Korea, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United States signed the Agreement.
Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Miriam Sapiro signed on behalf of the United States.
Representatives of the European Union, Mexico, and Switzerland attended and confirmed their
continuing support for the Agreement as they complete their domestic procedures to enable them to
sign.
- A USTR fact sheet on the ACTA can be found
here. - The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative also released its views on key aspects of the
Agreement. That document can be found
here. - All of the ACTA negotiating parties released a joint statement marking the signing. That
statement can be found
here.
ACTA opened for signature on May 1, 2011. The Government of Japan is Depositary of the Agreement,
and parties who have not yet signed may submit their signatures to Japan. For those who have
already signed, the next step in bringing the ACTA into force is the deposit of instruments of
ratification, acceptance, or approval. The agreement will enter into force following the deposit of
the sixth such instrument.
Posted on October 4, 2011
Source: USTR
