The creative industries are America s number one export industry and create jobs in the United States at three times the rest of the economy. Digital delivery of content represents an important new opportunity for the continued growth of the film industry and other copyright-based industries.
Internet piracy is the single biggest impediment to the delivery of digital content today.
Although piracy is not a new problem, the scope and speed at which content can be illegally distributed and downloaded over the Internet to markets all around the world is unprecedented. Adoption internationally of the 1996 WIPO treaties and vigorous enforcement of copyright laws in every country will help control this enormous problem. Congress s assistance in linking trade benefits to high standards of protection of intellectual property has proven very helpful. Conclusion of negotiations on the Hague Convention, an international agreement that seeks to resolve questions of jurisdiction in international commerce, could also spur the development of digital commerce internationally by creating greater legal certainty. However, as currently drafted, the Hague Convention leaves many important issues of jurisdiction in electronic commerce transactions unresolved and threatens to do more harm than good.