1. This document reports on the technical assistance programs provided by the US government concerning the protection, utilization and enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR), including patents, trademarks and enforcement for developing and least developed countries (LDCs). It covers activities undertaken from 2014 to 2015.
2. Through the US government's extensive training of foreign officials from developed, developing and LDC countries, the advancement of the protection and enforcement of IP is steadily achieved. The US government, in collaboration with many national and regional government agencies and IP organizations, such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and INTERPOL, work to assist all nations, to draft and implement their IP legislation and policy to promote economic, social and cultural development. US government technical assistance focuses on helping countries achieve sustainable development and growth, in simplifying and streamlining procedures for obtaining IP rights, administering treaties and systems for accomplishing this objective, and providing training and technical assistance to improve the functioning and utilization of IP systems in accordance with the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
3. US government technical assistance is driven by demand and individual priority needs of beneficiary countries. The diversity of needs and interests identified by beneficiary countries results in tailored technical assistance activities on specific areas of interest.
4. The US government technical assistance covers a range of IPR topics, including:
• Protection and management of intellectual property;
• Administration of IP offices and human resource development related to IP office administration;
• Building effective IPR border enforcement mechanisms;
• Effective adjudication of IP cases, including transparency in decision-making;
• Country-specific methodologies for investigating and prosecuting IPR criminal cases;
• Conducting searches and law enforcement techniques;
• Anti-counterfeiting, including in the area of counterfeit pharmaceutical and medical;
• Advanced computer forensics to track down, arrest and prosecute IP criminals; and
• Public education and consumer awareness of the importance of IP protection, innovation, creativity, and enforcement.
5. The US government agencies and agency subdivisions that provide IPR technical assistance include the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR); the US Agency for International Development (USAID); the US Copyright Office of the Library of Congress (USCO); the US Department of Agriculture (USDA); the US Department of Commerce (DOC), including the Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP), International Trade Administration (ITA), and the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO); the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including through the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); the US Department of Justice (DOJ), including through the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development Assistance and Training (OPDAT); the US Department of State (DOS), and the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA).
6. Technical cooperation pursuant to TRIPS Article 67 includes assistance, on request, in the preparation of laws and regulations on the preparation and enforcement of intellectual property rights, as well as on the prevention of abuse.
7. Further information, including a schedule of programmes, is available on the US government's Global Intellectual Property Education Training Program Database located at http://usipr.uspto.gov/. The Global Intellectual Property Education Database is maintained by agencies of the US government that provide training and technical assistance relating to protecting and enforcing IPR.
8. The Global Intellectual Property Academy (GIPA) offers capacity building programs in the United States and around the world on IP protection, enforcement, and capitalization. GIPA is an essential component of the US government's effort to improve IP protection and enforcement practices around the world. Participants in GIPA programs include officials of national IP offices, judicial officials, police/investigators, prosecutors, customs officials, officials from health ministries, officials from technology transfer agencies, and officials from consumer protection agencies, representatives of academic institutions, students, and representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). GIPA provides both multilateral programs and country specific programs. Some programs are developed to address specific legal issues, administrative issues and specific IP areas.
9. The description of programs offered by GIPA include:
• Patent Programs: The patent programs are designed to focus on topics that include office administration and budgeting, basic examination practice, examination issues in specific technology areas such as biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, industrial design examination, technology transfer practices, and awareness of UPOV plant variety protection. In-depth programs are offered, employing case studies or examples when possible, to strengthen understanding of concepts. The patent program goals are to share best practices and therefore improve patent quality around the world. Patent programs are available at USPTO headquarters and at regional locations around the world.
• Trademark Programs: The trademark programs are designed to focus on administration, budgeting, recruitment and training, and treaty protocol. These programs provide discussions and case studies on examination procedures.
• Copyright Programs: The copyright programs include challenging issues that are discussed with leading professionals in their field. The program includes topics such as exclusive rights, liability and piracy.
• Enforcement programs: The enforcement programs are designed to focus on topics of criminal, civil, customs and border enforcement. These programs are technical and include a comprehensive course agenda.
