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  World Trade Organization (WTO): The multilateral structure of WTO agreements provides opportunities for USTR to lead engagement with trading partners on IPR issues in several contexts, including through accession negotiations for prospective Members, the WTO Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Council), and WTO's Dispute Settlement Body. In the past year, the United States sponsored discussions in the TRIPS Council on the positive role of IPR protection and enforcement in contributing to national innovation environments, including with respect to small and medium sized enterprises. These discussions, which involved contributions from a broad array of WTO Members, including developed, developing, and least-developed countries, addressed national IPR strategies to promote innovation, focusing in particular on the role IPR plays in driving critical financing, commercialization, and partnerships to bring ideas to market.

Bilateral and Regional Initiatives: The United States works with many trading partners to strengthen IPR protection and enforcement through the provisions of bilateral and regional agreements, including free trade agreements (FTAs). In addition, Trade and Investment Framework Agreements (TIFAs) between the United States and numerous trading partners around the world have facilitated discussions on enhancing IPR protection and enforcement.

Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA): On October 5, 2012, Japan became the first signatory to ACTA to deposit its instrument of acceptance. The United States is working with Japan and other negotiating parties to bring the ACTA into force. The ACTA effort, launched in October 2007, brought together a number of countries prepared to embrace strong IPR enforcement through a new agreement calling for cooperation, strong enforcement practices, and a strong legal framework. ACTA signatories are Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United States. The European Union and 22 EU Member States signed the Agreement in January 2012, but it was not approved by the European Parliament. For signatories, the next step towards bringing the ACTA into force is to deposit instruments of ratification, acceptance, or approval. The ACTA will enter into force for those signatories thirty days following the deposit of the sixth such instrument. Consistent with the Administration's emphasis on IPR enforcement, the ACTA intensifies efforts against the global proliferation of commercial-scale counterfeiting and piracy in the 21st century. The ACTA includes innovative provisions to deepen international cooperation and to promote strong enforcement practices, and will ultimately help sustain American jobs in innovative and creative industries.

Trade Preference Program Reviews: USTR, in coordination with other agencies, reviews IPR practices in connection with the implementation of trade preference programs, such as the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program, and regional programs including the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act and the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act.

Expanded International Cooperation: USTR, in coordination with other U.S. Government agencies, looks forward to continuing engagement with trading partners in bilateral, regional, and multilateral fora to improve the global IPR environment. In   12