Speeches and Op-eds 2008
Remarks on Copyright and Counterfeit in the Digital Age
June 2, 2008
Madame la Député européenne,
Mesdames Messieurs,
Chers Amis,
Permettez-moi de commencer par quelques mots en français, pour remercier nos partenaires français avec qui nous travaillons de facon étroite pour promouvoir le droit d’auteur et combattre la contrefaçon. Je voudrais également remercier l’Institut National de l’Histoire de l’Art de nous recevoir si aimablement.
Cette conférence est un exemple important du dialogue permanent et amical que nous entretenons avec la France et l’Europe. Je sais que nos équipes ont bien travaillé ensemble afin de rendre possible cette interaction entre le plus grand nombre de représentants publics et privés de l’économie numérique.
Je suis persuadé que cette journée va démontrer notre volonté d’aller encore plus loin ensemble dans la défense de la propriété intellectuelle.
This is an important and auspicious time to explore how we can build on our respective strengths to enhance international cooperation in the area of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection in the digital economy.
IPR is truly one of the most important creators of economic growth. It is at the center of global economic relations today, spurring innovation, research and creativity. Its contribution protects not only the work of large corporations but also the works of artists and creators. It is also important for employment and trade. By some accounts, creative industries could account for more than 6 trillion dollars in global trade by 2020. Beyond dollars and Euros, IPR and research and development in new technologies is of benefit to us all, allowing greater access to knowledge and the arts, increasing interconnectivity and enabling us to work and play in ways that were unimaginable in years past.
At the same time, IP theft, including piracy and counterfeit, continues to be a serious problem for our countries.
That is why the United States and its partners have made IP enforcement a major global priority. In 1998, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act was signed into law in the U.S. An initiative developed by the U.S. government, called STOP, which stands for Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy, is now in its fourth year. This initiative seeks to educate consumers and businesses of all sizes on the risks associated with pirated goods and the benefits of respecting intellectual property rights.
Members of the private sector in the United States have also taken steps to curb Internet piracy. Private sector voluntary initiatives and principles have proven helpful in fighting piracy.
Infringement of copyrighted works via the Internet is of great concern to U.S. and rights holders in other countries. But by working with government agencies, Internet Service Providers and other parties we can find innovative solutions to this pervasive problem. Due to the ever-changing nature of Internet piracy, we understand that our collective efforts will continue to develop and change as new challenges arise and as we develop new technologies.
The United States, as does France, encourages efforts to continue to find new solutions that meet the needs of rights holders, content providers, ISPs, search engines and of course internet users and the consumer.
As both the creative and technological industries are important to each of our cultures and economies, it is particularly fitting that today we are meeting here in Paris to share our perspectives and discuss the best ways to protect artistic content and encourage innovation and IPR protection in the digital marketplace.
The Olivennes Commission Report, has attracted considerable interest not just in France but in the United States and elsewhere. We are very fortunate to have the President of the Commission, Monsieur Denis Olivennes, here at the Paris Conference to speak with us later today.
His report is an important contribution to crafting appropriate responses to the challenges of the digital economy and in particular issues such as internet piracy.
At the European level, the U.S. is working closely with our friends in Brussels and in the member states of the European Union. The U.S. – EU Intellectual Property Working Group, which was established in 2005, is a key forum. At its most recent meeting in Berlin May 16, there was agreement that internet piracy is a threat to all of our economies and that it is important we work together, particularly with respect to third markets.
I would also like to acknowledge the role of the European Parliament and am very pleased that Madame Janelly Fourtou, a French member of the European Parliament is with us today and will speak next. Madam Fourtou is an expert, and knows well the challenges legislators face in dealing with the intricacies of these increasingly complex issues.
The United States is also very active internationally, together with our partners, in defending copyright and combating counterfeit. We are very pleased that the member states of the European Union and the European Commission have agreed on a mandate that will enable the first official negotiations on an Anti Counterfeit Trade Agreement to commence later this week in Geneva.
This is truly a global issue, and as others have noted, we live in a global IP village. What we discuss here has consequences not just for the United State, for France or for Europe, but for the development of the global digital community.
I thank all of you, business, government and cultural leaders from both sides of the Atlantic, for your participation in today’s conference. This is a unique opportunity to move beyond rhetoric and engage in a real dialogue.
I look forward to welcoming all of you to my residence later this evening to conclude and celebrate today’s Paris Conference.
I am particularly pleased that the great French musician Jean-Michel Jarre will this evening share his perspective as an artist with us.
En conclusion, je vous souhaite des discussions inspirées. Il est essentiel que nous dialoguions avec nos partenaires et que nous comprenions tous les tenants et les aboutissants de cet important sujet. Il est également essentiel que la France, l’Europe et les Etats-Unis demeurent des alliés dans ces efforts collectifs en faveur du droit d’auteur.
Merci encore de votre participation.