IIPA goes after Russia
p2p news / p2pnet: ‘Trade’ group the the IIPA (International Intellectual Property Alliance) wants the US government to censure Russia for "serious" copyright infringements.
Like most groups wholly, or almost wholly, funded by the entertainment industry in one form or another, the IIPA, a purely commercial organization, is given to issuing what amount to edicts aimed at countries which displease its owners, among whom are the RIAA and MPAA.
It recently "congratulated" Brazil on the "termination" of an American US GSP investigation into the country.
Now, it wants the Shotgun Dick Cheney and George W. Bush administration to, "recognize serious copyright violations in Russia and to designate the country for possible sanctions," says the IDG News Service.
"The recommendation was contained in an annual submission made Monday by the International Intellectual Property Alliance to the U.S. Trade Representative ahead of the USTR’s ‘Special 301′ review of piracy worldwide. The review gets its name from provisions of the U.S. Trade Act of 1974 and allows the U.S. to impose penalties on countries judged to not be offering effective protection of intellectual property rights.
"The IIPA is recommending that Russia be named a Priority Foreign Country, a designation reserved for countries that are judged to have the most onerous and egregious acts, policies, and practices that have the greatest adverse impact on U.S. products and to not be engaged in good faith negotiations or making significant progress in negotiations to address these problems."
That should be no problem. US trade representative Rob Portman is well known for his support of the entertainment industries.
One of his more recent efforts was to facilitate Hollywood’s efforts to force more ‘product’ on an unwilling South Korea at the expense of the country’s home movie industry.
Also See:
IDG News Service – IIPA piracy petition criticizes Russia, February 13, 2006
"congratulated" Brazil – Well done, RIAA tells Brazil, January 17, 2006
force more ‘product’ – S Korea vs Hollywood, February 12, 2006
