Intellectual Property Rights Toolkit
Intellectual property is the cornerstone of economic development, especially in the digital age. Government protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) fosters creativity, provides incentives for companies to develop new and better products, attracts investment, allows artists and artisans to make a living, and increases tax revenues. Using intellectual property without paying for it or without permission is just as much stealing as shoplifting. It is a costly crime that must be consistently punished. Roughly 7% of annual global trade involves illegitimate goods – more than $600 billion. Counterfeiting, can be anything from selling a no name shoe under the Nike name, costs U.S. businesses about $250 billion annually. The U.S. Government is committed to improving IP protection worldwide and leads global, regional and bilateral initiatives on a range of IP issues.