The government has sent an agreement signed with the United States aimed at reducing tariffs and other barriers standing in the way of free trade between both countries to Congress. Featured prominently in the agreement is the country’s commitment to protect U.S. intellectual property. This has been a very thorny issue in U.S.-Dominican relations for the last few years. The “pirating” of video films and satellite transmissions had been commonplace in the country until the U.S. exerted strong pressure on the government to clamp down on offenders. The agreement also includes several clauses that seek to strengthen the Caribbean Basin Initiative, economic integration and trade liberalization efforts in the region.