The year 1994 marked
significant changes in international trade and intellectual
property. Not only was the World Trade Organization (WTO) formed,
but also as part of this new trade regime, the Agreement on Trade
Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) permanently
linked trade and intellectual property on a multilateral scale.
However, this link between trade and intellectual property was not
novel in 1994. For years prior to the TRIPS agreement,
Congress had recognized the ties between trade and intellectual
property, as evidenced in such legislation such as the Omnibus Trade
and Competitiveness Act of 1988.
However, despite the long recognized importance of intellectual
property (IP) in trade legislation and international trade
agreements, many people are unclear how IP - copyrights, patents and
trademarks -relate to trade. This discussion series
demonstrated how intellectual property can both promote and limit
international trade, particularly between the United States and the
rest of the world. |
