Ambassador Kirk today led a roundtable discussion with members of the Television Association of Programmers Latin America. They discussed the importance of combating piracy and signal theft, along with other industry concerns. USTR has focused a spotlight on intellectual property protection, including taking part in ongoing negotiations of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement and engaging in a leadership role on bilateral and regional efforts to address these issues.
Ambassador Kirk appreciated the opportunity to hear the concerns of the Latin American Programmers. He believes that strong protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights supports American innovation, creativity, and job creation. Florida’s extensive trade relationships with Latin America amplify the importance of intellectual property rights in the region, and Ambassador Kirk will continue his work to extend anti-piracy efforts there.
Ambassador Kirk also discussed USTR’s efforts to highlight exports and open trade as a keystone to developing a strong economy and supporting job creation. The President’s National Export Initiative seeks to double U.S. exports over five years in an effort to build businesses, allowing them to create jobs. Ambassador Kirk’s efforts over the past months have focused heavily on opening markets around the world through cooperative agreements and relationships, affording American companies and workers new opportunities.
