[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 119, 109th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
RUSSIAN FEDERATION--
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS PROTECTION
NOTE: Dec. 22, 2005 -  [H.Con.Res.230]
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.'';


[[Page 3680]]
119 STAT. 3680


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.

Agreed to December 22, 2005.