Government/Regulations
7/22/2010
Parts Supplier Calls For More Intellectual Property Protection
During a hearing before the House Small Business Committee, a representative of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) called on Congress to ramp up intellectual property protection. William Mansfield, director of intellectual property for ABRO Industries, testified on behalf of ABRO and MEMA.
"Intellectual property and strong IP protections are critical to the success of motor vehicle parts manufacturers who continually innovate and develop new technologies," Mansfield said in his testimony, which continued to include information on the economic impact of intellectual property violations, heath and safety concerns with counterfeit motor vehicle parts, and ways for the government and industry to work together to promote stronger intellectual property protection.
MEMA urges Congress to fully implement the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property (PRO-IP) Act, which was signed in to law in 2008. The group also hopes Congress will promote a robust international system of intellectual property laws and strengthen cooperation with like-minded countries and key trading partners, including additional support for Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement and a strong, comprehensive Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. MEMA also calls for an increased number of IP attaches at U.S. Embassies.
"Protecting intellectual property is of the utmost importance to companies like ABRO as well as MEMA," said Ann Wilson, MEMA's senior vice president of government affairs. "We must work together to see that existing laws are enforced, overseas IP protections continue to improve and that necessary resources are utilized to safeguard the investment made by companies and individuals across all industries and sectors."
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