[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 230 Reference Change Senate (RCS)]


109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 230


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 17, 2005

      Received and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

            December 22 (legislative day, December 21), 2005

       Committee discharged; referred to the Committee on Finance

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                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Russian Federation must 
                 protect intellectual property rights.

Whereas the protection of intellectual property is critical to the Nation's 
        economic competitiveness in the 21st century;
Whereas Russia remains on the Special 301 Priority Watch List compiled by the 
        United States Trade Representative (USTR), and the Congress is gravely 
        concerned about the failure of the Russian Federation to live up to


international standards in the protection of intellectual property rights, 
a core American asset;

Whereas the Congress wants to ensure that the Russian Federation redoubles its 
        efforts to adopt and enforce aggressive laws, policies, and practices in 
        the fight against piracy and counterfeiting;
Whereas the Congress is particularly concerned that the Russian Federation is, 
        in the words of Senate Concurrent Resolution 28, a place where ``piracy 
        that is open and notorious is permitted to operate without meaningful 
        hindrance from the government'';
Whereas, according to USTR, enforcement of intellectual property rights in 
        Russia ``remains weak and caused substantial losses for the U.S. 
        copyright, trademark, and patent industries in the last year. Piracy in 
        all copyright sectors continues unabated, and the U.S. copyright 
        industry estimated losses of $1.7 billion in 2004.'';
Whereas the Russian Federation must understand that failure to adequately 
        protect and enforce intellectual property rights will have political and 
        economic ramifications for its relationship with the United States;
Whereas accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) represents an agreement 
        to conform one's practices to the rule of law, and to international 
        standards in the WTO Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual 
        Property Rights (TRIPS);
Whereas notwithstanding some recent legislative improvements, Russia's regime to 
        protect intellectual property rights does not conform with TRIPS 
        standards;
Whereas the United States can ill afford deterioration of the world trading 
        system by permitting the entry of a country into the WTO that has not 
        demonstrated its willingness and ability to conform its practices to the 
        requirements of the TRIPS; and
Whereas the leaders of the G-8, including President Putin of the Russian 
        Federation, recently pledged to reduce intellectual property piracy 
        through more effective enforcement: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),  
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the Russian Federation should provide adequate and 
        effective protection of intellectual property rights, or it 
        risks losing its eligibility to participate in the Generalized 
        System of Preferences (GSP) program; and
            (2) as part of its effort to accede to the World Trade 
        Organization, the Russian Federation must ensure that 
        intellectual property is securely protected in law and in 
        practice, by demonstrating that the country is willing and able 
        to meet its international obligations in this respect.

            Passed the House of Representatives November 16, 2005.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.