Program options for intellectual property improvements in six countries of the Asia and Near East region

The Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act (1988) highlights IPR enforcement as an important goal of U.S. trade strategy, while the Uruguay Round of the GATT has moved to develop IPR rules and require compliance. This paper examines A.I.D."s role in improving the IPR regime, with special emphasis on programs in six countries identified by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) as IPR offenders. These countries include Egypt, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Thailand. Section I focuses on the legal underpinning of the IPR issue, outlining the provisions of the 1988 Trade Act and measures taken by the USTR to monitor violations. Section II discusses A.I.D."s concerns related to IPR and how they differ from those of the USTR, the Overseas Private Investment Council, or the Export-Import Bank. Section III expands on this theme by examining A.I.D."s perspective on technology transfer. Section IV examines the implications of the Trade Act for three types of A.I.D. programs: science and technology, trade and investment, and technology transfer. The report concludes by outlining design options for strengthening IPR regimes in developing countries.