INTERNATIONAL

U.S. to Crack Down on Piracy: The United States will take stronger action against countries that allow commercial piracy of U.S. copyrights, patents and trademarks, a Clinton Administration trade official said. Ira Shapiro, general counsel for U.S. Trade Representative Mickey Kantor’s office, told a Senate Trade subcommittee hearing that Kantor is considering linking intellectual property protection with U.S. and multilateral aid. Subcommittee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) said U.S. companies probably lose more than $60 billion a year from sales of counterfeit and copied goods made in other countries. On April 30, the U.S. trade representative’s office will list countries that are considered to be the worst commercial piracy offenders.