Trade agreements could promote international patent abuse

By Steven Titch

Published August 10, 2015 4:01am ET

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Trade agreements could promote international patent abuse — FILE - This Feb. 25, 2011 file photo shows Tthe U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, Va. The Supreme Court on Thursday tossed out an Australian company's patent for business software in a decision that clarifies standards for awarding patents, but not as much as some firms had hoped. In a case closely watched by the industry, justices ruled unanimously that the government should not have issued a patent to Alice Corp. in the 1990s because the company simply took an abstract idea that has been around for years and programmed it to run through a computer. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) | Alex Brandon

The House of Representatives has delayed voting on the Innovation Act, a bill designed to curb patent trolling, until after the August recess. But patent abuse still finds itself part of the legislative discussion, in this case with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

The pact itself is a great step toward freer global trade and more open markets for American products. But lawmakers should ensure that intellectual property commitments within the accord do not overlook new weapons of protectionism.

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China Law Minusextra Patent Law South Korea Trans-Pacific Partnership