Developed countries are looking for ways to address the ongoing lack of intellectual property enforcement and efforts to bypass international trade obligations in the four biggest emerging global economies, as well as emulation of this behaviour by other emerging economies in particular as the four countries have a stronger voice in international fora, a panel of United States trade experts said this week.

Brazil, Russia, India and China, often referred to as the “BRIC” countries, were the subject of a 1 September discussion gathering entitled, “The BRIC effect – part three: intellectual property rights and future paths for US policy.” The event was meant to explore “how best to calibrate the US policy toward these countries in the years ahead,” but mainly offered a description of the problem.

The event was the last in a three-part series held by the Washington, DC-based United States Chamber of Commerce International Division and Global Intellectual Property Center.

Greg Kalbaugh tells Peter Oilier about the work the US-India Business Council does to promote IP rights in India

How does the US-India Business Council get involved in IP?

The Council is 35 years old this year. It was founded at the sugges tion of Henry Kissinger, who realised that the governments of India and the US weren’t getting on well but thought that the private sector could bind the two countries together. He suggested that the US Chamber of Commerce set up a bilateral business council, which we did.

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On September 1, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Global Intellectual Property Center and International Division will host an event titled, "BRIC Effect, Part 3: Intellectual Property Rights and Future Paths for U.S. Policy." This final event in a three-part series will examine the challenges to protecting intellectual property rights in the BRIC countries and explore possible modifications of U.S. policy toward Brazil, Russia, India, and China in the years ahead. The event will be held at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Panelists of the event include Chris Israel, Managing Partner, PCT Government Relations; Jeffrey Kushan, Partner, Sidley Austin LLP; Stan McCoy, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Intellectual Property and Innovation, Office of the U.S.