Statement from Motion Picture Association Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin on USTR’s Special 301 Report

WASHINGTON – The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) today released its annual Special 301 Report, which reviews the global state of intellectual property protection and enforcement. The following is a statement from Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association:

“As we continue to grow and rebuild our economy, the strength of America’s film, television, and streaming industry remains steadfast in its commitment to create jobs and make a significant economic impact across the country. We have produced a trade surplus of over $9.6 billion and support over 2.2 million jobs here in the U.S. across all 50 states. Yet, American creators still face significant challenges in foreign markets protecting and enforcing their intellectual property rights, especially in the form of digital piracy.

“The Motion Picture Association applauds Ambassador Tai and USTR staff for recognizing our industry’s most critical issues – the importance of securing strong copyright protections in foreign markets and the significant challenges posed by commercial scale online piracy. We commend the work done by USTR and its interagency partners on this year’s Special 301 report and greatly appreciate the continued focus on the global threat of digital piracy. Together, we must ensure that the legal frameworks implemented by our international trading partners are strong and steadfast in protecting copyright. This is essential to maintaining a healthy and dynamic legal marketplace for digital content around the world.

“We look forward to continuing our work with USTR and the Administration to protect creators’ rights and promote our nation’s creative economy.”

Contact:
Kristen Tarnol
Kristen_tarnol@motionpictures.org