November 17: USCC Report about Indigenous Innovation, WTO and Disclosure Requirements

U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) will release its 2010 Report to Congress at a press conference Wednesday, November 17.

Among the topics in the 316-page report will be about:

National defense and foreign affairs and energy and environmental issues.

But also about economic, trade and censor issues:

• China's 'indigenous innovation' policy to promote favored industries and limit imports;.
• China's past and future role in the World Trade Organization;
• How China's revised state secrets laws may conflict with U.S. disclosure requirements and put U.S. investments in Chinese firms at risk.

UPDATE November 18, 2010: report has been released, read more about it here.

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"Lax IPR Keeps Chinese Companies Lazy In Terms of R&D"

BusinessWeek runs an article of Associated Press about the 'Study on the Future Opportunities and Challenges in EU-China Trade and Investment Relations 2006-2010' prepared by Philip Bartley of the Emerging Markets Group consultancy, for the European Commission.

Bartley said that China would also benefit from opening up its market, mentioning EU and U.S. concerns over copyright and piracy enforcement. "Lax intellectual property rights in may ways keep Chinese companies lazy in terms of their own research and development."

Read the BusinessWeek article here.

The study is comprised of 11 sectoral issues (Machinery, Chemicals, etc.) and 1 about IPR, exploring China's IP environment, which was written by Dr. Paul Ranjard of UNIFAB Beijing and Benoît Misonne of the EU-China Trade Project.

See the complete study here and the chapter about IPR in China here.

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International Chamber of Commerce Survey: "China Has Least Favourable IP Environment"

"The first annual BASCAP Global Survey on Counterfeiting and Piracy was conducted by ICC’s Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP) initiative, in cooperation with the Cass Business School, part of City University, London. The survey polled 48 companies, many of which operate globally, spanning 27 product categories."

Read the full results of the survey here.

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China's TRIPs Compliance Five Years Later: What's The Score?

Today the USTR issued the 2006 Report to Congress On China's WTO Compliance, including nine pages (70-79) about China's intellectual property enforcement. Nothing really surprising, but it gives an overview of China's compliance with TRIPs through the eyes of the USTR.

Pages 96-99, about the legal framework, including transparency, uniform application of laws and judicial review are also relevant for those interested in TRIPs compliance.

Read here.

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Is Europe Getting Tougher On China About IPR Infringements?

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson went to China to speak with Commerce Minister Bo Xilai, read the AFP/De article on the site of Chanel News Asia here. They will discuss Europe's stance toward infringed IPR in China, based on the new Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament, EU-China: Closer Partners, Growing Responsibilities and the trade policy paper Competition and Partnership.

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