[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 169 (Tuesday, September 1, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52800-52801]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-21289]


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OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET


Request of the U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator 
for Public Comments: Development of the Joint Strategic Plan on 
Intellectual Property Enforcement

AGENCY: Office of the U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement 
Coordinator, Executive Office of the President, Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB).

ACTION: Request for written submissions from the public.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Government is developing its third Joint Strategic 
Plan on Intellectual Property Enforcement (``Joint Strategic Plan''), 
which will cover the 3-year period of 2016-2019. In this request for 
comments, the U.S. Government, through the Office of the U.S. 
Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator (``IPEC''), invites 
public input and participation in shaping the Federal Government's 
intellectual property enforcement strategy for 2016-2019. By committing 
to common goals, the U.S. Government will more effectively and 
efficiently be able to combat intellectual property infringement.
    IPEC was established by title III of the Prioritizing Resources and 
Organization for Intellectual Property Act of 2008, Public Law 110-403 
(the ``PRO IP Act''; see 15 U.S.C. 8111-8116). Pursuant to the PRO IP 
Act, IPEC is charged with developing, with certain Federal departments 
and agencies, a Joint Strategic Plan for submission to Congress every 
three years (15 U.S.C. 8113). In carrying out this mandate, IPEC chairs 
two interagency committees: (1) The Intellectual Property Enforcement 
Advisory Committee and (2) the Senior Intellectual Property Enforcement 
Advisory Committee. See 15 U.S.C. 8111(b)(3); Executive Order 13565 of 
February 8, 2011 (``Establishment of the Intellectual Property 
Enforcement Advisory Committees'').
    The prior 3-year Joint Strategic Plans were issued in 2010 and 
2013. To assist the IPEC and Federal agencies in our preparation of the 
third 3-year plan (for 2016-2019), IPEC requests input and 
recommendations from the public for improving the U.S. Government's 
intellectual property enforcement efforts.

DATES: Submissions must be received on or before October 16, 2015.

ADDRESSES: All submissions should be electronically submitted to http://www.regulations.gov. If you are unable to provide submissions to 
regulations.gov, you may contact the Office of the U.S. Intellectual 
Property Enforcement Coordinator at [email protected] 
using the subject line ``Development of 2016 Joint Strategic Plan on 
Intellectual Property Enforcement'' or (202) 395-1808 to arrange for an 
alternate method of transmission. The regulations.gov Web site is a 
Federal e-Government Web site that allows the public to find, review 
and submit comments on documents that are published in the Federal 
Register and that are open for comment. Submissions filed via the 
regulations.gov Web site will be available to the public for review and 
inspection. For this reason, please do not include in your comments 
information of a confidential nature, such as sensitive personal 
information or proprietary business information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of the U.S. Intellectual 
Property Enforcement Coordinator, at [email protected] 
or (202) 395-1808. The 2010 and 2013 Joint Strategic Plans, as well as 
other information about IPEC, can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/intellectualproperty.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As set forth by the PRO IP Act (15 U.S.C. 
8113), the objectives of the Joint Strategic Plan include:
     Reducing the supply of infringing goods, domestically and 
internationally;
     Identifying weaknesses, duplication of efforts, waste, and 
other unjustified impediments to effective enforcement actions;
     Promoting information sharing between participating 
agencies to the extent permissible by law;
     Disrupting and eliminating infringement networks in the 
U.S. and in other countries;
     Strengthening the capacity of other countries to protect 
and enforce intellectual property rights;
     Reducing the number of countries that fail to enforce 
intellectual property rights effectively;
     Assisting other countries to more effectively enforce 
intellectual property rights;
     Protecting intellectual property rights in other countries 
by:
    [cir] Working with other countries to reduce intellectual property 
crimes in other countries;
    [cir] Improving information sharing between U.S. and foreign law 
enforcement agencies; and
    [cir] Establishing procedures for consulting with interested groups 
within other countries;
     Establishing effective and efficient training programs and 
other forms of

[[Page 52801]]

technical assistance to enhance the enforcement efforts of foreign 
governments through:
    [cir] Minimizing the duplication of U.S. Government training and 
assistance efforts;
    [cir] Prioritizing deployment of U.S. Government resources to those 
countries where programs can be carried out most effectively with the 
greatest impact on reducing the number of infringing products imported 
into the United States, while also protecting the intellectual property 
rights of U.S. rights holders and the interests of U.S. persons 
otherwise harmed by infringements in other countries.
    To assist IPEC and the agencies in developing the Joint Strategic 
Plan for 2016-2019, IPEC requests input and recommendations from the 
public for improving the U.S. Government's intellectual property 
enforcement efforts. IPEC welcomes information pertaining to, and to 
the extent practicable, recommendations for combating emerging or 
potential future threats posed by violations of intellectual property 
rights, including threats to both public health and safety (in the U.S. 
and internationally) and American innovation and economic 
competitiveness. Recommendations may include, but need not be limited 
to: legislation, executive order, Presidential memorandum, regulation, 
guidance, or other executive action (e.g., changes to agency policies, 
practices or methods), as well as ideas for improving any of the 
existing voluntary private-sector initiatives and for establishing new 
voluntary private-sector initiatives.
    Finally, in an effort to aid the development and implementation of 
well-defined policy decisions, to advance scholarly inquiry, and to 
bolster transparency and accountability on intellectual property 
enforcement efforts, IPEC encourages enhanced public access to 
appropriately generalized information, trend analyses, and case studies 
related to IP-infringing activities. Both governmental and private 
entities may be in possession of a wide range of data and other 
information that would enable researchers, rights holders, industry-at-
large, public interests groups, policy makers and others to better 
gauge the specific nature of the challenges; develop recommendations 
for well-balanced strategies to effectively and efficiently address 
those challenges; and measure the effectiveness of strategies that have 
been or will be adopted and implemented. To further the objective of 
supporting transparency, accountability, and data-driven governance, 
IPEC requests identification of possible areas for enhanced information 
sharing and access, including the identification of relevant data sets, 
and how best to improve open access to such data.
    In conclusion, IPEC invites comments from the public on the issues 
identified above, as well as any other comments that the public may 
have, for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of intellectual 
property enforcement--as well as the innovation and economic 
development it supports--through the upcoming Joint Strategic Plan for 
2016-2019.

    Dated: August 21, 2015.
Daniel H. Marti,
United States Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, Executive 
Office of the President.
[FR Doc. 2015-21289 Filed 8-31-15; 8:45 am]
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