The Office of Policy and International Affairs (OPIA) assists the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in advising the President (through the Secretary of Commerce) and federal agencies on domestic and international intellectual property (IP) matters.
OPIA also:
- Supports the Office of the Under Secretary in its work to formulate U.S. domestic and international policy on IP protection and enforcement;
- Promotes the development of IP systems, nationally and internationally, for the benefit of U.S. stakeholders;
- Consults with foreign governments and other U.S. government agencies on the substantive technical analysis of intellectual property rights enforcement laws, legal and judicial regimes, civil and criminal procedures, border measures, and administrative regulations relating to the enforcement of intellectual property laws;
- Supports the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), Department of State, and other U.S. government agencies in international negotiations and consultations, and assists with the drafting, reviewing, and implementation of intellectual property obligations in bilateral and multilateral treaties and trade agreements;
- Provides technical assistance and capacity-building programs to foreign governments seeking to develop or improve their intellectual property laws and regulations, and improves the level of expertise of those responsible for intellectual property rights enforcement; and
- Examines the adequacy and effectiveness of intellectual property rights protection under the Special 301 provisions of the Trade Act of 1974.
OPIA leadership
The Office of Policy and International Affairs is led by a director and three deputies:
- Mary Critharis, Acting Chief Policy Officer and Director for International Affairs
- Charles Eloshway, Acting Deputy Chief Policy Officer for Patent, Economics, and Innovation Policy
- David Gerk, Acting Deputy Chief Policy Officer for Creative Works Work and Global Outreach
- Dominic Keating, Deputy Chief Policy Officer for Education and International Engagement
OPIA teams
IP policy teams
OPIA substantive IP teams focus, respectively, on patents, trademarks, copyright, industrial designs, and enforcement. OPIA regional teams, including the China team, are made up of representatives from each of the substantive IP teams, and address intellectual property policy around the world.
Global Intellectual Property Academy
The Global Intellectual Property Academy (GIPA) provides training on intellectual property, including to officials of foreign governments with responsibilities for protecting and enforcing IP rights.
IP Attaché Program
The IP Attaché Program works to improve intellectual property systems internationally for the benefit of U.S. stakeholders. There are currently IP attachés and their staffs are posted in 14 U.S. embassies, consulates, and missions abroad.