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Authors Guild Joins ACTION FOR TRADE to Protect IP Abroad

Action for Trade

Action for Trade

The Authors Guild is pleased to announce it has joined ACTION for Trade, a new coalition of organizations that will work to ensure that U.S. trade policy and trade agreements advance a pro-creativity agenda and protect our nation’s intellectual property from piracy abroad.

The launch of ACTION for Trade, announced this week, is particularly timely in light of the failure of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the ongoing renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, and extensive lobbying efforts by the tech sector arguing for the loosening of NAFTA’s copyright provisions.

“Amid ongoing talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, it’s critical for America’s trade negotiators to make sure the agreement rewards innovation and protects the creative assets developed by U.S. creators and innovators,” said Brian Pomper, executive director of the new coalition, in a statement. “Improving NAFTA will help ensure that our workers and economy prosper.”

The copyright industries are a key component of the U.S. economy. Copyright-intensive industries contributed $1.2 trillion to the U.S. economy in 2015, employed 5.5 million workers, and grew at a rate over double that of the U.S. economy generally. We look forward to working with ACTION for Trade to ensure that the creative industries are valued and protected appropriately in international agreements.