Key business groups offered support Tuesday for a legislative amendment that would reaffirm intellectual property rights for U.S. technologies developed to deal with climate change, CongressDaily's AM Edition reported. The National Association of Manufacturers, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the United States Council for International Business said that as talks proceed on a climate change treaty, proposals have surfaced to allow foreign producers to copy or infringe patented technologies. On a parallel track, a coalition backed by the Chamber, General Electric, Microsoft, Siemens and other multinational firms is putting pressure on the Obama administration and key lawmakers as trade negotiators prepare for U.N. climate change talks this summer.

"While progress on these environmental negotiations is vitally important, such compulsory licensing is not the answer," the groups said in a letter Tuesday backing a proposal by Reps. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., and Mark Kirk, R-Ill., offered as an amendment to the foreign relations authorization bill expected on the House floor soon. The House Rules Committee approved a slightly modified version of the amendment Tuesday that will be considered with the bill on the House floor. Business groups worry that countries like Brazil, China and India will push for mandatory carve-outs for alternative energy innovations. A series of meetings begin this month and will lead up to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December, where parties will seek agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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