ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, May 1, 1996 TAG: 9605010049
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: Associated Press
Portugal, Pakistan, India and Turkey have been targeted by the Clinton administration for alleged failure to protect U.S. copyrights and patents properly.
Acting U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky said Tuesday the administration planned to file complaints against those four nations with the World Trade Organization in Geneva as part of its continued effort to halt violations that U.S. businesses claim are costing them billions of dollars in lost sales.
In addition to WTO cases against the four countries, Barshefsky said China was being targeted as a ``priority foreign country'' for its failure to live up to a 1995 copyright protection agreement and could face U.S. trade sanctions.
While the announcement did not spell out when those sanctions could be imposed, U.S. officials stressed that time was running out for China to come into compliance.
The administration reportedly is considering issuing a list by May 15 of $2 billion in Chinese products that would be hit with punitive tariffs, but USTR officials refused to speculate Tuesday about what actions will be taken.
``China has been given a very clear understanding of our concerns,'' Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Ira Shapiro told reporters. ``We will not hesitate to enforce our trade laws.''
Tuesday's announcements were part of an annual review required by U.S. law about how U.S. copyrights, patents and trademarks are being protected around the world.
U.S. industry claims it loses billions of dollars annually from the theft of everything from computer software programs and designer jeans to movies and music.
The administration report Tuesday said the WTO cases were being brought because Portugal was not protecting patents for 20 years as required by international trade laws.
India and Pakistan were cited for their failure to adequately protect drug and farm fertilizer patents, and the WTO case against Turkey alleged discriminatory treatment because Turkey taxes ticket sales for foreign movies but not those domestically produced.
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