Ambassador Betty King

Remarks by Ambassador Betty King at the screening of the film “Otelo Burning”
U.S. Mission Geneva,
December 1, 2011

I’d like to thank Ambassador Minty of South Africa and the International Federation of Film Producers for their assistance in coordinating and hosting this fantastic event.

We are honored this evening to have South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, her excellency, Ms. Fatima Chohan, and as always, delighted to have Ambassador and Mrs. Minty and their children, Melissa and Barry.

The history of African filmmaking spans decades and includes many wonderful films and achievements.  In recent years, especially, African filmmaking has exploded onto the world stage.  In 2005, a South African film, Tsotsi, won the American film industry’s highest honor, an Academy Award, for Best Foreign Language Film.  At the Academy Awards in 2010, another South African film, District 9, was nominated for Best Picture.  These achievements reflect the dynamic domestic film industry not just in South Africa but throughout the African continent.  Film festivals like the prestigious Durban International Film Festival, now attract world-wide audiences.

This year, the opening film at Durban, Otelo Burning, told the story of a boy finding his freedom on the water, away from the struggles onshore.  Tonight, we will watch his story unfold. As we do so, we should keep in mind the protections that allowed his story to be told so beautifully.

Copyright protection today creates a film heritage for the future. It protects a nation’s creative output and stimulates the creation of new material by guaranteeing the artist’s control over his or her own work.  As demonstrated with great success in the United States and India, vibrant film industries boost foreign investment and tourism and create jobs, driving the economies in cities like Los Angeles and Mumbai.  This success is only possible because the hard work of the artists involved is shielded by intellectual property protections against unfair appropriation and use.  Unfortunately, Africa has also become a target for counterfeit and pirated goods in recent years, disrupting the development of the burgeoning African film industries.

One of the most famous South African artists, Mama Africa Miriam Makeba, whose melodious voice and inspiring lyrics stirred our souls across the African diaspora and delighted audiences across the globe, was keenly aware of the need for intellectual property protection.  Over the last ten years of her life, she systematically secured the IP rights to all of her work in a trust established specifically for that purpose.  Her grandchildren now benefit from the tremendous volume of work Miriam produced.  Strong IP frameworks not only benefit business, they also protect the work of our national and international treasures, and thus ensure that the artistry of musicians like Mama Africa and films like Otelo Burning continue to not only exist, but thrive.

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USTR Ron Kirk says ACTA provides a "platform for the Obama administration to work cooperatively with other governments to advance the fight against counterfeiting and piracy."

Washington D.C.,
2 October 2011

Intellectual property rights would be strengthened under a “first-of-its-kind” alliance of trading partners, the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), signed by eight nations in Tokyo on October 1.

All 11 ACTA negotiating parties attended the signing ceremony. Representatives of Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States signed the agreement; representatives of the European Union, Mexico and Switzerland attended and confirmed their continuing support for the pact as they complete their domestic procedures to enable them to sign, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) said.

“The ACTA provides a platform for the Obama administration to work cooperatively with other governments to advance the fight against counterfeiting and piracy,” U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a statement.

Among its provisions, ACTA would:

• Require that border enforcement authorities be empowered to act on their own initiative against both imports and exports of counterfeit and pirated goods.

• Require that criminal enforcement authorities be able to act on their own initiative in piracy and counterfeit cases, rather than wait for a complaint.

• Further clarify existing international requirements for the availability of criminal penalties when piracy or counterfeiting is carried out for commercial advantage.

• Require criminal remedies against import or use of labels or packaging for counterfeit goods so that counterfeiters could not escape punishment by shipping labels or packaging separately from the products for which they are intended.

ACTA also will be the first agreement of its kind, according to a USTR fact sheet, “to include a binding commitment to address the scourge of piracy over digital networks, and to do so in a manner that respects fundamental values, such as freedom of expression, fair process, and privacy.”

“When it enters into force with all participants, the ACTA will formalize the legal foundation for a first-of-its-kind alliance of trading partners, representing more than half of world trade,” the negotiating parties said in a press statement.

ACTA opened for signature on May 1, 2011. Japan is the depositary of the agreement. Parties that have not yet signed may submit their signatures to Japan. For those who have already signed, the next step is the deposit of instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval. The agreement enters into force following the deposit of the sixth such instrument.

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Ambassador Betty King addressing the WIPO General Assembly

World Intellectual Property Organization
49^th Series of Meetings of the WIPO Assemblies

Geneva,
September 26, 2011

Thank you, Mr. Chairman

On behalf of Group B, I would like to congratulate you on your election as the chair of the General Assembly, as well as your two vice chairs.  I am confident that under your leadership, we will be able to reach a positive outcome during this session.

Group B would also like to take this opportunity to commend the Director General and his staff for their superior efforts over the last year in maintaining the organization’s rightful place as the global IP authority.

To that end, we are pleased with WIPO’s efforts in encouraging innovation and creativity throughout all regions of the world, while promoting a balanced and effective international intellectual property system.  These efforts will continue to foster the economic, social and cultural development of all countries.  Group B is convinced that Member States, despite regional group affiliation, must continue to foster mutual understanding in order to make progress.  Group B also attaches great importance to the long-standing practice that all decisions in the organization should be made by consensus.

Since the last Assemblies, we have seen significant goodwill which has resulted in progress in various substantive sectors of the Organization, such as in: the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR), Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP), the Standing Committee on the Law of Trademark s (SCT), and the Intergovernmental Committee on Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC), to name a few.  Of course, we cannot forget the positive results achieved more recently in the Program and Budget Committee (PBC).

Less than two weeks ago, the PBC met in its 18^th session to consider, among other things, the proposed 2012/13 Program and Budget.  Through hard work and a willingness to engage productively by the Member States and the Secretariat, the PBC concluded with a recommendation to the General Assembly to adopt the proposed Program and Budget with modifications.  Amid mounting concern over the fragility of the global economy, many Member States expressed apprehension with the significant increase in spending originally proposed by the Secretariat.  A reconsideration of the original proposal has resulted in a budget agreed to by the PBC without any implications to development activities or the administration of the registration unions.  Group B welcomes and supports the recommendations of the PBC.  As we stated during the PBC, Group B would also appreciate a continuing focus on savings and efficiency gains throughout the next biennium.

This past year has also seen the ushering in of the new Independent Advisory and Oversight Committee (IAOC), the successor to the Audit Committee.  Group B thanks the members of the selection panel for choosing such a capable group of professionals.  Group B appreciates the constructive engagement and collaboration of the IAOC with the Secretariat and Member States.  The close collaboration has enabled the IAOC to review in detail the recommendations made by the former Audit Committee from a risk management perspective and to work closely with WIPO to significantly reduce the risk associated with the recommendations that the IAOC had identified as having a very high risk.  We also encourage the IAOC to work closely with the new director of IAOD and the external auditor in order to create more synergies and strengthen the auditing and oversight function at WIPO.  We also look forward to a close working relationship between the IAOC and the PBC to address a number of identified concerns, with the goal of continuing the  strengthening of WIPO governance.

One of the greatest successes of the organization this year occurred in the SCCR.  Positive engagement by delegations led to the SCCR’s recommendation to resume the 2000 Diplomatic Conference on a treaty for the protection of audiovisual performances with an agreement on the one outstanding article and a clear, precise plan for completion of the treaty.    Although we did not finish our work in addressing the needs of the visually impaired and those with print disabilities, Group B is firmly committed to continue the dialogue and work constructively with other delegations to a positive end.  On the subject of a treaty for the protection of broadcasting organizations, Group B is similarly committed to engaging with other delegations to make headway on this very important issue.

During the 15^th and 16^th sessions of the SCP, Member States agreed on a balanced work plan that will enable more substantive projects to develop, and Group B will remain engaged to help lead these projects toward a positive outcome.  During this past year, the SCT has launched very promising work in the field of designs, which could lead to the convening of a diplomatic conference.   Group B notes the significant progress in the IGC over the past 12 months.  Finally, Group B is particularly pleased to see a proposal from the IGC for a renewal of its mandate.  Such rich progress in the various fields is proof that WIPO will remain the global IP authority.

Group B welcomes the progress on the Strategic Realignment Program (SRP), and the informative briefings offered by the Secretariat over the course of the past year.  Group B is confident that the reforms underway through the 19 initiatives, comprising the four core values, will enable WIPO to be a more responsive, efficient organization, equipped to provide global leadership on IP issues and to achieve its Strategic Goals.

Group B encourages the Director General to continue his leadership in establishing a values-based integrity and ethics system and looks forward to the development of an ethics training program for all management and staff in the organization. Moreover, Group B believes the Ethics Office should be strengthened, including through the provision of adequate resources.

Group B was pleased to see the introduction of a Declaration of Interest program in 2009. This should be enhanced with a comprehensive Financial Disclosure program to further support the integrity of the organization.

In conclusion, let me assure you that you can count on the constructive spirit and support of the delegations of Group B during these assemblies.

Thank you

World Int ellectual Property Day 2011

April 27, 2011

Geneva, April 27, 2011 – On the occasion of World Intellectual Property Day Ambassador Betty E. King, the Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations in Geneva, announced that the U.S. Department of State has awarded a grant of $50,000.00 to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), which will provide matching funds, for a series of seminars and programs that will develop the skills and tool to help local authorities raise awareness about the risk of counterfeit products.  The program, to be administered by WIPO, will be carried out over the next six months in Kenya, Morocco and the Philippines.

In announcing the grant, Ambassador King emphasized the importance of building and maintaining an effective system for the protection and enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights.  She noted that IP protection drives innovation and generates economic growth, adding, “Companies and entrepreneurs in both developed and developing countries spend enormous sums of capital on building brands by innovating, ensuring quality control, and through aggressive marketing.  This translates into an economic imperative for them to safeguard their investments through trademark protection.”

Highlighting the health and safety implications of counterfeit products, Ambassador King said, “Trademark infringement and counterfeiting raise very serious health and safety concerns, such as those attributed to counterfeit medicines, food, automotive parts and electrical products.”

Also addressing the event, WIPO Director for Communications John Tarpey outlined to the assembled audience of diplomats, civil society and academics the scope of work of the grant and why raising public awareness on the public health and safety risks posed by counterfeit products is so important.  He noted that one-half of all medicines sold on the Internet are counterfeit.

Tarpey explained that WIPO, working closely with the governments of Kenya, Morocco and the Philippines, will conduct a series of workshops to develop a toolkit that will help IP authorities in those countries conduct more effective outreach campaigns.   WIPO Director for Enforcement Louise Van Greunen also spoke about the need for intellectual property rights enforcement and the inherent risks to the public from counterfeit products.

World Intellectual Property Day is a day that governments and organizations have dedicated to building international awareness about the critical role that intellectual property plays in our daily lives, and to celebrate the contributions made by innovators and artists to the development of societies across the globe.

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Click here for Remarks of Ambassador King on World IP Day Reception

Ambassador King welcomes Geneva-based diplomats and guests from WIPO to a reception at the U.S. Mission to commemorate World Intellectual Property Day on April 26, 2011.

World Intellectual Property Day

Opening Remarks

Ambassador Betty E. King
Permanent Representative
United States Mission to the United Nations and
International Organizations

Geneva, Switzerland

(As Prepared)

A very warm welcome to my fellow Ambassadors, colleagues, WIPO Directors John Tarpey and Louise Van Greunan; distinguished guests, I thank you all for your presence here today.

We have invited you to the U.S. Mission this afternoon to make an announcement about the launch of a new international initiative to raise public awareness about intellectual property rights. I strongly support this initiative, which we are launching in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization and support from the governments of Kenya, Morocco and the Philippines.

It is especially fitting to announce this initiative as we celebrate World Intellectual Property Day – a day that, for over a decade, governments and organizations have dedicated to building international awareness about the critical role that intellectual property plays in our daily lives, and to celebrate the contributions made by innovators and artists to the development of societies across the globe.

Last fall, the U.S. Department of State’s Office of International Intellectual Property Enforcement, in collaboration with the Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, and U.S. Mission Geneva, worked with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to develop the concept for a much-needed public awareness toolkit focused on the public health and safety risks posed by counterfeit products. Mr. John Tarpey will explain this toolkit in greater detail in just a few minutes.

But first, I would like to say a few words on the reasons compelling all countries, including my own, to build and maintain an effective system for the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights.

Intellectual property (IP) continues to drive a larger and larger share of international commerce and sustainable economic growth. It is well known that innovation can provide a competitive edge, and yet countries around the world provide for varying levels of intellectual property rights enforcement. The issue is not so much why intellectual property rights should be protected – but rather how vigorously these rights should be enforced and how scarce government resources should be allocated in the enforcement of intellectual property rights.

The world in which we live is a much smaller place today than it was just 20 years ago. This is due in large part to the increase in international trade and the development of global market places and social spheres, each of which has exponentially grown through the ongoing development and penetration of the Internet. At the same time, these positive developments can also have negative implications, as they provide a new and very fertile environment in which counterfeiters can operate.

As national economies are more closely linked than ever through international trade, adequate and effective IP enforcement regimes provide vital support for sustaining economic development around the world, and ensuring the protection of consumers everywhere.

Companies and entrepreneurs in both developed and developing countries spend enormous sums of capital on building brands by innovating, ensuring quality control, and through aggressive marketing. This translates into an economic imperative for them to safeguard their investments through trademark protection. Brand owners look for markets that can support their goods and national IP regimes that provide effective enforcement. Additionally, trademark infringement and counterfeiting raises very serious health and safety concerns, such as those attributed to counterfeit medicines, food, automotive parts and electrical products.

Intellectual property rights by themselves are empty unless mechanisms are in place and utilized to enforce these rights. Certainly, laws providing adequate protection must be in place. But this is just the first step. The more difficult challenges rest in building political and public support for the enforcement of these laws, allocating necessary resources for enforcement, and creating an effective infrastructure to administer the civil, criminal and border enforcement laws.

The 19th Century cleric and philosopher Charles Caleb Colton coined the phrase: “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” While this statement may have rung true during the Georgian Era, it has little meaning in the context of intellectual property rights. Although some like to use the quote to put a positive spin on IP infringement, there is no positive spin. Counterfeits, by their very nature, are substandard, and in many cases, unsafe. We – as governments and international organizations – owe it to our citizens to protect them from these products. An important step in that endeavor is to better inform them of the dangers, something that the public awareness toolkit project is designed to help us do.

The U.S. State Department looks forward to working with the WIPO, as well as the governments of Kenya, Morocco and the Philippines, in raising public awareness of the harm to health and safety posed by counterfeit products.

Thank you.

Ambassador King celebrated Qualcomm Filing the 2 Millionth Patent Application under WIPO’s Patent Cooperation Treaty.

Remarks of Ambassador King

Patent Cooperation Ceremony (PCT)

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

Geneva, Switzerland

April 14, 2011

AMBASSADOR KING: Director General Gurry, distinguished guests, thank you all for participating in this auspicious event.

Most of you here already are aware of the long history of WIPO and its role in protecting patents around the world, in particular through the Patent Cooperation Treaty. WIPO has helped creators and inventors throughout the world advance human knowledge and well-being. Over the last few decades, we have seen more technological advancements than at any point in history.

I am of course quite pleased that a company which has its roots in the United States is being honored for filing the 2 millionth international patent application with the PCT. Qualcomm is not just a well-recognized American firm, but its history, of being founded in the home of an engineer in California, shares the grand storyline of many other start-up technology companies. These companies flourish in our free enterprise system, with our approach to the protection of intellectual property rights.

The current U.S. Administration remains committed to encouraging innovation that leads to improved economic prosperity and job growth. Our Strategy for Innovation recognizes the essential role of innovation in our past and future prosperity, the central importance of the private sector as the engine of innovation, and the role of government in supporting our innovation system. We are looking to innovators to help with the most serious challenges we face, including clean energy, climate change and health care. As President Obama has said, “Now is the moment for this generation to embark on a national mission to unleash American innovation and seize control of our own destiny.”

But of course, I am also aware that Qualcomm is now not just an American company, but a company with global operations. Likewise, I know that while the 2 million PCT filings to date do include many American inventions, many others are from all over the world. Most important perhaps, the challenges we face are global challenges, requiring global solutions.

It is therefore my pleasure to applaud today the accomplishments of those gathered here, which has led to this 2 million PCT milestone, both those from the private sector as well as the public. And while we appreciate the good news today, we have to keep the momentum going. So, I hope it is my destiny to be invited back quite soon, to commemorate the next 2 million PCT milestone. Thank you.

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Esther Brimmer
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Organization Affairs

World Affairs Council/University of Washington School of Law
Seattle, Washington

I am truly grateful to the World Affairs Council in Seattle for inviting me to speak today. It is also an honor to be at the University of Washington which has graciously opened its doors for this event. My father is a proud alumna of “UW”, so it is especially nice to be here.

One of the highlights of my job is spending time outside the Beltway, as they say, hearing from you about the challenges you see facing the United States and our rapidly changing global landscape, and speak about the importance for Americans of the work we do are doing multilaterally and at the United Nations.

So it’s great to be in Seattle and in the Pacific Northwest. This region, and particularly Seattle, is the emblem of American innovation, ingenuity and leadership. You are often the first to identify, embrace and advance new ideas, new technologies, and new opportunities. (Coffee joke will fall flat)

These characteristics make Seattle an ideal venue for a conversation about the changing nature of American diplomacy, and how the United States is working through the United Nations to respond to the transnational challenges of our changing world.

I’m with you today at a remarkable time, punctuated by the events in Japan and in Libya. The U.S. response to these extraordinary events provide a useful context for my comments this evening. You all know that the President spoke on Monday about the U.S. approach to the situation in Libya. The speech was about more than just Libya, however. In it, the President clearly enunciated his approach to global issues. He said:

“As we have in Libya, our task is instead to mobilize the international community for collective action. Because contrary to the claims of some, American leadership is not simply a matter of going it alone and bearing all the burden ourselves. Real leadership creates conditions and coalitions for others to step up as well, to work with allies and partners so that they bear their share of the burden and pay their share of the costs, and to see that the principles of justice and human dignity are upheld by all.”

That, ladies and gentlemen, is as concise a definition of multilateralism as I have seen, and it frames the Administration’s approach to global issues of every stripe, large and small. Ultimately, it’s about shared responses to shared challenges, and the President has charted a clear course for U.S. foreign policy designed to maximize the benefits of multilateral engagement.

He has chosen this course because working with international organizations is fundamentally essential to modern diplomacy. International organizations are places where nations can find common solutions to complex problems.

He has chosen this course because international organizations provide the means through which the international community can set global norms and standards and help states meet these standards.

And he has chosen this course because international organizations enable us to rally global response to critical needs. We see this with unfortunate frequency, most commonly in response to natural disasters such as last year’s earthquake in Haiti and now in Japan.

We are currently witness to the application of the President’s vision on a very large and significant stage. Indeed, had I suggested to you three months ago that developments in North Africa and the Middle East would be unfolding as they have, you would likely have dismissed me out of hand. Yet we are seeing some of history’s next chapters being written 140 characters at a time.

The changes we are witnessing have implications for all of us, and particularly for cities such as Seattle which are already well- connected globally, technology driven, and energetically embracing international collaboration.

Twelve years ago, your city was the stage for powerful reminders of the realities of globalization. As governments met to further develop multilateral mechanisms for cooperation on trade, a broad range of nonstate actors demanded that their voices, too, must be heard.

The United States places technology and innovation at the forefront of our diplomatic and development efforts, not least because innovation continues to drive economic growth and job creation in Seattle and across the United States. That’s why emphasize the importance internationally and multilaterally of intellectual property laws – protecting patents, copyrights, and trademarks – which are essential for fostering innovation and creativity and contribute to American competitiveness and our economic well-being.

So we work every day, at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, to strengthen global patent protection for innovative U.S. companies that are creating jobs at home. We’re continuously involved in ensuring that WIPO works efficiently and in an accountable and transparent manner, so we can ensure that U.S. tax dollars are being well spent. And we’re working to ensure other forms of IP protection that are strong as well as smart. So we’ve made progress at WIPO pursuing a set of exceptions to copyright laws, for products that will benefit the visually impaired, to help the largest number of people reap the benefits of globalization.

So, too, in the area of Internet governance, we are working to ensure that the greatest number of people around the world can tap into the truly awesome power of the latest platforms for networking and information-sharing. New media empowers individuals around the world to share information and express opinions in environments hostile to freedom of expression. But despots and dictators recognize the power of the Internet: that’s why so many of them, faced with protests in the Middle East and elsewhere, have tried to shut it down.

To highlight the U.S. commitment to freedom of expression, this year we will host World Press Freedom Day, a UNESCO event that will focus on digital media and its opportunities and threats for global press freedom, and pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives. And in making decisions about Internet governance, we will continue to embrace, as Secretary Clinton repeatedly has emphasized, Internet governance that supports open technical standards and administrative foundations.

Our diplomats and experts work through a range of multilateral institutions – including to ensure that when international organizations address issues like cyber crime or Internet freedom, there is robust participation from all relevant stakeholders, including civil society and the private sector.

We also work multilaterally on a broad range of science and environmental matters. Climate change is one of the greatest threats facing our planet. So we are working with a number of multilateral institutions and environmental conventions, both within and outside the United Nations, to combat climate change, conserve global biodiversity, remove pollutants from the environment, and protect the lives of American citizens.

Under the auspices of the UN Environment Program, we are working with partners toward an international treaty to reduce mercury use. And at the recent meetings in Cancun of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the world took an important step in meeting the climate and clean energy challenge, agreeing that all major economies will take transparent actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

And so too with the recent tragic events in Japan – a tragedy which I know for many of you has decidedly personal implications. The international network of agencies, organizations, and agreements is and has been very much in evidence as the world seeks to assist Japan. The Pacific Tsunami Warning System, which informed the rapid warnings issued within minutes of the earthquake, is coordinated by a UNESCO oceanographic commission.

The IAEA has sent radiation monitoring teams to assist Japanese efforts, and has been the focal point for international communication and information-sharing about the situation at the affected power plants. Even the CTBTO – the organization set up to monitor the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty – has played a role. Its global network of radiation monitoring stations have shared data about the path of radiation emissions from damaged Japanese nuclear reactors, and its seismic stations provided quick information to help inform the tsunami warning centers.

And of course, the United States is first among Japan’s bilateral allies in its commitment to support. As President Obama said shortly after this horrific disaster, “our commitment to our Japanese ally is unshakeable and we stand by the Japanese people in this time of trial.”

Our multilateral engagement in this area also intersects with other aspects of our work across the UN system, because environmental protection is important not only from an ecological perspective. Healthy, safe environments and biologically rich ecosystems are the foundation for food security, livelihoods, and sustainable development, a connection we are highlighting during 2011, the UN International Year of Forests.

The connection between environmental progress and human health is also clear. The Montreal Protocol – an example of exceptional multilateral cooperation – will be responsible for full recovery of the ozone layer by 2050. Because many of the ozone-depleting chemicals it phased out also are powerful greenhouse gases, it will result in climate benefits roughly five times larger than those achieved in the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. And the success of the Montreal Protocol in restoring the ozone layer will avoid more than 22 million new cases of cataracts and more than six million skin cancer deaths in the United States alone, saving trillions in U.S. health care costs over the coming century.

More broadly, global health forms a key part of President Obama’s development agenda. We’ve stated publicly that the UN Millennium Development Goals are America’s goals, and we’ve demonstrated our commitment to achieving these goals through the Global Health Initiative, a $63 billion program focused on strengthening health systems; fighting infectious diseases; improving maternal and child health, nutrition, family planning and reproductive health; and addressing neglected tropical diseases.

Like in other areas, we work through the UN system on public health issues not only to collaborate, but also to leverage financial and technical resources from a wide range of contributors.

The UN’s World Health Organization, the premier global public health body, has worked for years to provide technical support and guidance on infectious disease outbreaks and response, pandemic threats, and coordinating health efforts in emergency and disaster situations. So when the H1N1 influenza virus was declared a global pandemic, the World Health Organization was there to help countries with both preparedness and response. .

Our multilateral work on public health issues is also a great example of how globalization has brought more voices to the table. Today there are a variety of critical actors instrumental in advancing global health. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations. And many others. These NGOs and private-partnerships are playing a vital role in improving global health, and we’ve worked through a multilateral umbrella to coordinate and collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders.

Another priority for this Administration is promoting global respect for universal values, which is an enduring American interest and one we have long championed for over six decades at the UN. In 2009, we reversed the policy of the previous Administration, chose to run for – and won – a seat on the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Since joining, we’ve become the Council’s most active delegation. We chose to lead from within the Council rather than criticize from afar, because at the end of the day, the Human Rights Council will debate and respond to issues we see as important with or without us. And the protection of human rights is far too important to be left to the human rights abusers.

Since joining, the United States been exceptionally active and taken a leadership role at the Council. In just the past few weeks, we have seen dramatic and meaningful action on the situation in Libya – action which included the Council recommending that Libya be suspended. Similarly, the Council has shown significant leadership on the situation in Cote d’Ivoire, establishing a Commission of Inquiry to examine the violence and human rights situation in that country. And just last week the Council took groundbreaking action on the human rights situation in Iran by creating a Special Rapporteur to investigate that situation. It also charted a new course for global efforts to condemn intolerance, discrimination, and violence based on religion or belief while protecting and promoting freedom of expression, and took an important step to support the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

Of course, the Human Rights Council is far from perfect. It still could do far more to address serious human rights issues, and it continues an unfair and imbalanced bias against Israel. Nonetheless, the U.S. presence on the Council has made a difference, and our active engagement with partners of all kinds has resulted in a new trajectory for the Council. As a result, we have made the decision to run for reelection to the Council when our term expires in 2012.

So I’ve walked through a few areas in which we work at the United Nations to embrace globalization’s new opportunities for cooperation and progress. But we all know by now that globalization brings not only increased opportunities for collaboration, but also opens the door to new transnational security threats, ones that don’t stop at borders.

Indeed, a capable and strong United Nations system advances U.S. national security, by countering nuclear nonproliferation, preventing international terrorism, and by promoting stability in countries around the world.

For example, inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency helped sound the alarm on Iran’s dangerous nuclear program. And to be effective, our response required that all countries abide by sanctions against Iran – so we worked in the UN Security Council to craft tough sanctions that even those countries that voted against them must implement. We already are seeing the effect of those sanctions.

In combating transnational terrorism, we also have worked across the UN system. Through Security Council sanctions, we imposed global asset freezes and travel bans on terrorists and their supporters. We also have bolstered aviation security, through the International Civil Aviation Organization, and worked through other UN counter-terrorism bodies to share expertise and build national capacity around the world, to address terrorism at its source.

The UN is also essential to addressing some of the world’s most challenging security situations. Take, for example, the situation in Cote d’Ivoire, where the international system is deeply engaged to promote a peaceful transition of power to the elected president and stem the threat of widespread violence. Former President Gbagbo’s refusal to step down is resulting in a serious humanitarian crisis that is having an impact on the entire region.

Here too, the spectrum of multilateral response is in play. The Security Council has expanded the size of the UN peacekeeping force in Cote d’Ivoire. The Human Rights Council has condemned ongoing human rights abuses and established a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the situation. The UN relief agencies, including the UN Refugee Agency and the World Food Program, have responded to displaced populations with remarkable speed. And today the Security Council adopted targeted sanctions on Gbagbo and his immediate associates by a vote of 15-0.

Again, behind all these action is strong U.S. leadership, both in terms of prompting the international community to act and in terms of direct U.S. assistance and support to international organizations in need of resources to respond. Could the U.S. address effectively the crisis in Cote d’Ivoire alone? No. Our most urgent and vexing global challenges must be tackled through international cooperation and partnership.

In countries where the United States has deployed our armed forces, including Afghanistan and Iraq, the United Nations and international organizations such as NATO are crucial partners. UN political missions in both countries work to strengthen democratic institutions, and our close engagement with them makes U.S. efforts to responsibly draw down our military forces – as the President has committed to doing – all the more possible.

The United Nations recently renewed the mandate of the assistance mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which will play an increasingly pivotal role in mediation, conflict resolution, human rights, and capacity-building as the United States and others nations begin transitioning security responsibilities to Afghan authorities.

Similarly, in Libya responsibility for enforcement of the Security Council mandate has shifted to NATO, which has unique capabilities and also allows the United States to share the burden of operations with NATO members.

The Administration’s approach on these issues, particularly with regard to the United Nations, has its critics. We all recognize that the United Nations has its flaws, challenges, and shortcomings when it comes to management, transparency, and efficiency. The United States is second to none in pushing for a more efficient and effective UN – but we achieve this by working to build up the UN, not tear it down. Given how important our work in the UN system is to U.S. foreign policy, we must ensure the United Nations is strong enough to bear the burdens we must place upon it in the decades to come.

So we’re proud of the important UN management and reform accomplishments we’ve had over the past two years, which will help the UN improve its day-to-day administration, further increase accountability and transparency, and reinforce its effectiveness in key areas.

We won new standards to hold UN officials accountable for achieving results. We led the charge to institutionalize the UN Ethics Office, which is now headed by an American. We protected the authority of the UN’s oversight office to carry out audits, inspections, evaluations, and, where necessary, investigations of UN activities. We led the establishment of new oversight bodies at several UN agencies, marshaled efforts to put in place a support strategy to improve the UN’s capacity for complex peacekeeping missions, and were instrumental in establishing one new agency, UN Women, which consolidated several UN entities.

We will continue to push for UN budget discipline, and we expect that the UN will recognize that its ongoing process of reform must be accompanied by smart, lean budgets. I commend Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s recent announcement that he has asked his top managers to submit budgets that come in three percent lower than the previous budget.

Aside from promoting smart and disciplined UN budgets, we also will work to further embed and strengthen within the UN a culture of responsibility and transparency. We achieve this not only through our close daily collaboration with the UN, but also by promoting Americans for key positions within the UN system, so that they can share their experiences and values.

Ethics, oversight, and transparency are also key to an effective United Nations. In 2011, we will continue our push for a strong Ethics Office and a strengthened, independent, and fully-staffed oversight office. And we will press the UN in 2011 to expand ethics training and improve its financial disclosure process.

These accomplishments may not grab headlines, but they get results. And because this Administration takes seriously our responsibility to use taxpayer dollars wisely especially in these challenging economic times, results are what matter – which is why multilateral diplomacy is smart diplomacy.

You see, working through the United Nations – where the United States pays around a quarter of the budget – means that we don’t have to do it all, or pay for it all. Our dues for the UN system add up to about one-tenth of one percent of annual federal spending; and that investment leverages contributions by other countries totaling about three times what we contribute.

But our diplomats cannot continue to succeed if we hamstring them by running up new arrears at the UN. President Obama’s commitment to paying our UN assessments has earned us greater political capital and helped win support for our efforts to improve the UN’s effectiveness and achieve our policy goals. The United States must be a responsible global leader, and that means paying our bills and working for real renewal at the UN. Withholding a portion of our assessments, as some have called for, will only hamper our ability to deliver results at the UN that the American people want, and that the United States needs.

So because we cannot address 21st century challenges with 20th century tools, this Administration has committed to working closely with the United Nations to strengthen itself and better meet the challenges of today.

As I’ve outlined tonight, multilateral engagement at the United Nations is a key tool for the United States in achieving our foreign policy goals and advancing our values. It’s an important means of burden-sharing in tough financial times. And it benefits Americans.

Thank you again for hosting me this evening, and I look forward to your questions

Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property David Kappos

David Kappos
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office

Sharon Barner
Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office

Geneva,
September 23, 2010

Opening Statements

Under Secretary and Director Kappos: Thank you very much for the introduction. I think I can now say good afternoon, just barely.

Thanks for joining us today.

Over the past year, now about 13 months since I’ve been at the USPTO as the Director, I’ve been very pleased with the work that the World Intellectual Property Organization and the individual IP offices have done to strengthen the global IP system.

As a member of the world IP community the USPTO, the United States Patent and Trademark Office, has been working cooperatively with other offices in both bilateral and multilateral settings in order to ensure that we continue to develop sound intellectual property policies and promote the protection of IP rights globally.

As you know, IP matters to the global economy today more than ever. IP really matters, because economic growth will be driven in large measure by innovation and by investment, and that means intellectual property.

That means we have a special responsibility to ensure efficient functioning of the global IP system and of our individual intellectual property offices for the various countries that operate and support WIPO.

One of the most serious problems that our offices face is the enormous backlog of patent filings. This backlog stifles innovation and delays the creation of new businesses and jobs. As Director of the USPTO I have the responsibility to ensure the development of a patent system that reflects the economic needs and interests of the marketplace and the responsibility is not just a domestic one in the United States, it’s a global responsibility to champion and lead in that intellectual property system development.

Our approach focuses on the following –I hope simple–and key objectives. One, establishing new efficiencies in the global patent system by reducing duplication of work performed by IP offices everywhere. Second, creating an environment that stimulates innovation and investment in the transfer of technology. Third, enhancing the quality and reliability of patents. Lastly, providing an early determination of patent rights, and that means speeding up in our examination and granting of patents.

As you are all aware there are numerous so-called worksharing and acceleration programs that are being hosted and proposed by various patent offices. Some of the meetings going on here in Geneva right now are focused on advancing such programs. We would like to take this opportunity to share with you some information that the United States has prepared in connection with our own various acceleration and work-sharing projects and proposals.

As Director of the USPTO I’m frequently asked by various members of the global patent community about our worksharing and acceleration programs, and to address these questions we’ve compiled a couple of simple charts that explain our major acceleration and worksharing initiatives, and hopefully you’ve got copies or will get copies of those. One of the charts simply identifies all of our domestic programs–instances in which all applicants may request accelerated examination. The other chart outlines the major worksharing initiatives that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has underway. It includes some information on programs administered by the Japanese Patent Office and the European Patent Office as points of comparison. We hope these charts will be helpful to you.

I wanted to mention just a few other things briefly. As further explained in the charts, the USPTO is collaborating with other offices on cooperative work sharing initiatives to reuse to the maximum extent possible the work done by other offices in order to avoid duplication and expedite patent examination. One of those programs in which we’re seeing significant success is called the Patent Prosecution Highway, or the PPH. It’s a major worksharing program. Under the PPH applicants can request what’s called fast track examination in one office based on a determination of patentability in another office.

Users are telling us that they are extremely pleased with this program as it significantly lowers their average pendency, meaning the time it takes for them to get patents, and the cost of operating their patenting operations. We currently have PPH agreements with 12 partner offices and we’re in the process of establishing additional ones and adding to that network.

At the USPTO we have nearly 4,000 PPH cases through our system so far.

We intend to double that number again next year, so we’re making really substantial progress in getting literally thousands of patent applications through this network and increasing our efficiencies.

Given the success of the PPH program, in January of this year the so-called trilateral offices–that’s the EPO, the JPO and the USPTO–expanded the PPH program to include patent cooperation treaty work products. The USPTO is very encouraged the results so far. PPH has demonstrated now that it complements the PCT and enhances value for patent applicants. And the PPH has shown that through cooperation between patent offices, genuine time and cost savings can be achieved that benefit especially patent applicants, that’s the global innovation community, and our offices also.

In fact this week I’ve met with my counterparts to continue building on the PPH and the PCT successes that we’ve experienced so far.

Just one or two other things, and then I’ll stop here soon. I wanted to mention initiatives underway with a couple of particular offices. While we’re working on new programs and projects to improve work share generally, we’re also meeting with our counterparts. I met with President Cornelia Rudolph Schaeffer of the German Patent and Trademark Office this week to continue and strengthen our partnership with the German Patent and Trademark Office.

In April of 2009 we started our PPH pilot with the German Patent Office.

At our bilateral meeting this past Tuesday we signed a new Memorandum of Understanding with the German Patent and Trademark Office. This MOU focusing on enhancing work sharing efforts by exploring the re-use of German search reports in PPH cases. The German Patent and Trademark Office has a very high quality in their search services and we think it provides another opportunity for worksharing between our offices.

We’re also delighted that we’re able to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with Rospatent this past June during the visit of Deputy Under Secretary Sharon Barner to Moscow, and that establishes a framework for bilateral cooperation between the Russian Patent Office and the USPTO.

I’m extremely pleased to announce that our offices have reached an agreement recognizing Rospatent as an International Searching Authority, a so-called ISA, and International Preliminary Examining Authority, or an IPEA, under the Patent Cooperation Treaty. So we signed that agreement earlier this week. This will benefit U.S. applicants as it will provide them with an additional choice at a lower cost.

I’m also very pleased that we have started a pilot in the PPH with Rospatent on September 1, and we’re looking forward to seeing results from that initiative.

Lastly, I wanted to mention that the United States and the USPTO are committed to using the patent system to promote initiatives for the development of technologies that are priorities to the Obama administration. Late last year we began a pilot that allows for the acceleration of applications in so-called green technologies and just this week we commenced an inquiry into ways in which we can incentivize the development and dissemination of technologies that address humanitarian needs. Among these technologies that would be eligible for the program are treatments for tropical diseases and diagnostic medical tools, crops with higher yields or better nutritional value, and treatments for sanitation and clean water among others.

Participants would qualify for the proposed pilot in two ways–by making their patented technologies available to impoverished populations for humanitarian use, or by making their patented technologies available to researchers who are developing technologies that address humanitarian needs.

Under the proposed pilot program qualifying applicants would receive fast-track ex parte reexamination vouchers, because patents under reexamination are often among the most commercially valuable patents.

We feel the right to a fast-track reexamination could be a very valuable right, allowing a patent owner to affirm the validity of his or her patent more quickly and less expensively.

Now the voucher could be used on any patent owned by the patent holder or transferred on the open market, further adding to its value in the marketplace. A voucher for fast track reexamination of a patent is a very valuable incentive for entities to distribute humanitarian technologies through licensing or other means, and it’s our hope that this new program will incentivize innovators to develop technologies that will benefit those in need.

Now I’d like to welcome USPTO Deputy Director Sharon Barner to highlight some more agency priorities. Sharon?

Deputy Under Secretary and Deputy Director Barner: Thank you, Dave, and thanks again to all of you for being here.

IP protection, as Director Kappos has said, is frequently a global issue and this week I have been working with the IP5 offices to further cooperation and collaboration. This week we had a meeting of the IP5 Deputies here in Geneva.

The IP5 consists of the five largest patent offices in the world. The Chinese Patent Office, the Korean Patent Office, the European Patent Office, the Japanese Patent Office, and the USPTO. Filings at these offices constitute close to 80 percent of the world’s patent filings, and as a consequence these offices face special challenges of increased patent filings ad growing backlogs.

As Director Kappos mentioned earlier, much of the filings among the offices represent the same or similar inventions. It’s estimated that about 250,000 applications per year could be reutilized by another office. To realize more efficiencies and to avoid duplication of efforts, the IP5 office has come together to create foundation projects and more cooperation.

As a result of the cooperation the ten foundation projects that have been identified relate to issues that are operational and relate to the examiners. Some of these include creating collaboration tools, including common classifications, access to common documentation, examiner training, and things of that sort. The foundation projects are critical to enhancing work sharing among the IP5 offices.

In addition to the foundation projects the offices have been reviewing their own practices with a few towards implementing programs in their own offices to accelerate adoption of best practices. For example, the European Patent Office has recently announced that it will report search histories, whereas they didn’t before. The USPTO is actively looking into new approaches to classification.

While the foundation projects will yield important progress over time, acceleration of some aspects will provide more near term results that will benefit all offices as well as the IP community worldwide.

The next IP5 heads of office meeting is scheduled for April 2011 in Japan. We hope through our work and collaboration with the various IP5 offices that we can facilitate a more efficient patent process along the way.

The other key thing I want to talk to you about is the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s strategic plan. We’re extremely encouraged and excited by the progress we’ve made this year in Geneva with our partner offices. We realize that in order for the USPTO to be the most effective at home and abroad, that we have to have clear priorities and initiatives, and those include both our domestic and international initiatives.

We recently set about to create a new strategic plan, our 2010-2015 Strategic Plan. It has key operational domestic and international aspects to it. Those include reducing our own backlog and pendency, improving the quality of our examination, and demonstrating global leadership and all aspects of IP policy development.

With these goals that we have now set out, we will focus on the management and implementation phase. During this phase you will see that we have a clear set of priorities and objectives as relates to both our domestic and international issues. We’ll have scheduled reviews of our progress, ongoing data collection to measure our success against our stated goals, regular opportunities to adjust the plan as data and experience are collected. We will have a lot of transparency into these issues. They will be located on our Web site.

The achievement of our high level goals supports everything else we do at the USPTO. Our core values, our critical mission to support innovation and global competitiveness that drives the U.S. economy and creates jobs, and, finally, our vision of helping to lead the world in all aspects of IP protection and policy.

The USPTO is committed to working internally and externally with our partners to continue to reduce backlogs, improve quality and improve IP policy and enforcement.

Thank you.

Under Secretary and Director Kappos: Thank you very much, Deputy Director Barner. Now we’d like to open the floor up for questions.

by Ambassador Betty King

September 21, 2010

Thank you, Mr Chairman,

Allow me to begin by welcoming and thanking the President of the World Intellectual Property Organization General Assembly, and also your vice-chairs. We are confident that you will ably guide our discussions this week. The US Delegation would also like to thank the International Bureau of WIPO for its hard work in preparing for these meetings. The documentation before us is both well drafted and comprehensive. I would also like to underline our support of the statement made by the distinguished delegate of Switzerland on behalf of Group B.

WIPO’s ongoing strategic re-alignment (SRP) process has worked to reform the Organization’s programs, resources and structures with a new set of strategic goals.  These have enabled WIPO to respond more effectively to the rapidly evolving technological, cultural and geo-economic environment, as well as to respond to the urgent global challenges of today, which IP can have a role in addressing.

Through the use of four-core values, the Strategic re-alignment will enable WIPO to achieve its strategic goals and to provide global leadership on intellectual property (IP) issues.  In particular, the core-value concerning accountability for results, will be key for WIPO in its work to achieve results and improve tracking of results and performance.

The United States underlines its complete support on the recent actions WIPO has taken to build a responsive and efficient Organization that is to meet its mandate in providing global leadership on intellectual property issues.  In particular, the Medium Term Strategic Plan (MTSP) for 2010 – 2015, the on-going result’s-based management framework initiative, and the Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP) which this past Program and Budget Committee (PBC) took a decision on to devote significant resources to improving WIPO’s management and administration performance.

The United States greatly welcomes these efforts, and in particular, DG Gurry’s MTSP as it is an important contribution to this overall important process at WIPO to have accountability for results.

At a time when governments and businesses around the globe are struggling with economic difficulties, the U.S. also realizes it is more important than ever that WIPO continue to work to maintain tight fiscal discipline in the budget, and to include initiatives to increase efficiencies.

The United States also welcomes the agreement reached from the second session of the Working Group on the Audit Committee concerning the composition of the new Audit Committee.  This will enable WIPO and its Member States to continue to benefit from the oversight services of this new Committee next year.

The U.S. plans to continue to work with Member States and Director General Gurry to assist in the creation of a better functioning, more effective World Intellectual Property Organization that will improve its substantive work; establish its primacy on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) policy issues in the UN; and increase its IPR-related development activities, while making sure staffing and spending are streamlined, and respect for IPR continues to be the major emphasis of the organization.

The U.S. is increasing our coordination on IPR outreach with WIPO’s Communications and Outreach Section, and with several WIPO member countries.  We believe that improved awareness and education about the use and protection of IP is critical for improving the IPR system, and we are working with WIPO to better connect Member States, NGOs, the private sector and U.S. officials engaged in IPR outreach efforts.

With regard to the work of IP offices, the U.S. believes that Global Worksharing is key to helping us meet the increasing challenge of efficiently managing the workloads faced by offices throughout the world, while at the same time delivering the highest possible quality.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) currently has a number of worksharing projects underway with international offices.  For example, the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) framework is one important step toward the goal of maximizing reutilization of work done by other offices.

We are looking to increase participation in these worksharing projects by orders of magnitude so that we can truly see the benefits of worksharing, including genuine time and cost savings for applicants as well as patent offices worldwide.

How?  By looking for and removing unnecessary burdens for participation; by finding new office-led worksharing initiatives; and by listening to our applicants for new and better ways to reutilize the work of other offices.

To accomplish the goal of reutilizing work and maximizing the use of Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) work products, we have established a PCT Task Force within the USPTO that is looking into how the PCT can function more effectively.

For the USPTO to maximize its timeliness and quality, the Task Force will examine the USPTO’s actions as receiving Office, International Searching Authority, and International Preliminary Examination Authority.

With the Task Force’s review of our procedures, and input from PCT applicants and others, we hope to improve the USPTO’s PCT operations internally, as well as have further ideas on how to improve the PCT as a whole.

We are aiming to integrate the PCT into all of our worksharing efforts, including Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) and SHARE.

The U.S. Copyright Office and WIPO presented a joint International Training in March 2010 in Washington, D.C. for developing countries and countries in transition on emerging issues in copyright and related rights pertaining to persons with print disabilities.

The agenda included training on the relevant international legal and business frameworks, case studies on existing exceptions for the print disabled worldwide, technical standards for accessible materials, the role of trusted intermediaries, market considerations, and information reports on the Word Blind Union treaty proposal and WIPO’s Stakeholders Platform.  The Copyright Office plans to offer a similar training program on copyright issues affecting developing countries and countries in transition during the upcoming year.

The United States was honored that one of our own living cultural treasures – Mr. Stevie Wonder – was asked by Director-General Gurry to address the assembly on an issue that is very important to the United States in its work at the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR): the establishment of proper, effective international legal norms to provide copyrighted materials to persons with print disabilities.  This is one of several issues before the SCCR, but we believe it is one on which progress can and should be achieved quickly.

The United States believes profoundly that copyright law fosters creativity, supports economic development and is, in the words of our Supreme Court, an “engine of free expression.”  At the same time, we are committed to policies – domestic and international — that ensure everyone has a chance to get the information and education they need, to live independently as full citizens in their communities, and to participate in cultural life.

After extensive consultations domestically, the United States Government concluded that new legal norms are needed in international copyright law to address the needs of persons with print disabilities.

It has become clear to us that the most pressing problem – the one identified repeatedly by experts – is the cross-border distribution of special format materials made for persons with print disabilities, whether these special format materials are made under copyright exceptions in national law or special licensing arrangements.  Therefore, the United States believes that WIPO’s first goal should be to reach international consensus on the cross-border exchange of special format materials for persons with print disabilities in all countries.

To this end, in June 2010, the United States proposed a “consensus instrument” that could unequivocally establish new international norms for the exportation and importation of special format copies – first, as a Joint Recommendation of these General Assemblies.

We further believe this initial Joint Recommendation could be a step toward the development of a treaty establishing basic copyright limitations and exceptions for persons with print disabilities.

The United States acknowledges the other proposal that have been made, all demonstrating WIPO’s genuine engagement on this issue.  These include [a] the introduction in 2009 by Brazil, Ecuador, and Paraguay of a proposed treaty for copyright exceptions for persons with print disabilities that had been drafted by Knowledge Ecology, the World Blind Union, the DAISY consortium, and other, [b] the European Union’s 2010 proposal for a General Assemblies Joint Recommendation, and [c] the African Group’s own broader proposal in 2010 for a protocol on copyright exceptions and limitations.

Stevie Wonder’s songs are full of optimism and hope, seasoned by realism and having known life’s challenges.  His songs reminds us that “every problem has an answer” and that we should all be living for and working toward a “future paradise.”  Building that better future for persons with print disabilities will require commitment and compromise from all WIPO Members, but the United States believes that we can and should make immediate progress on answers to this problem.

Mr. Chairman, be assured that the United States will constructively engage in our discussions this week with the aim of finding outcomes that are acceptable to all WIPO Member States.

We wish you every success in your role as Chairman of this Assembly.

Thank you Mr. Chairman.