U.S. Representative Tim Burchett has proposed a legislative bill designed to safeguard intellectual property (IP) from foreign threats, particularly China. The Trade-Related Intellectual Property Protection (TRIPP) Act, if approved, would "direct current and future presidents to oppose any waiver of obligations under the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement within the World Health Organization unless specifically directed by Congress."
Burchett had previously introduced the TRIPP Act during the 117th Congress as a response to concerns over China's potential access to American IP, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a press release, Burchett stated that the Biden Administration had planned on sharing American vaccine research IP with the World Trade Organization during the pandemic.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) provides context for understanding this issue. The WTO's Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement), established in 1995 and not to be confused with Rep. Burchett's TRIPP Act, covers various aspects of intellectual property. These include copyright, trademarks, geographical indications, industrial designs, patents, and undisclosed information. The agreement sets minimum standards of protection for each area and mandates compliance with key conventions of the World Intellectual Property Organization while adding additional obligations where necessary. Furthermore, it promotes national and most-favored-nation treatment, allowing members to extend broader intellectual property protection if they wish.
Anders Corr, author and publisher of the Journal of Political Risk, commented on this issue during Federal Newswire's China Desk podcast: "The first step to deterring China from Taiwan is to say, 'if you invade Taiwan we're going to charge you for any damages, and we're going...to charge you for all the IP theft you've taken from us for decades, and all of the Covid damages."
According to his House website, Rep. Burchett represents Tennessee's 2nd Congressional District and serves on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.
