Industry Press Releases

Sixth Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy Opens in Paris

Feb 05. 2011
04:02
by
CEPIC
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Over 800 delegates from intergovernmental organizations, national governments, enforcement agencies and business from more than 100 countries convened in Paris ...

... to address the serious global impact of the growing trade in counterfeit and pirated goods and the need to build respect for intellectual property in a balanced and sustainable way. The Sixth Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy, meeting on February 2-3, 2011, is organized under the High Patronage of the President of the French Republic.

The Sixth Global Congress is hosted by France’s Industrial Property Office (INPI) and chaired by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It is co-organized by INPI, WIPO, INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization (WCO), in co-operation with the world’s business community represented by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) through its BASCAP (Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy) initiative, and the International Trademark Association (INTA).

Opening the meeting, WIPO Director General Francis Gurry said The Sixth Global Congress represents an outstanding opportunity for the public and private sector to come together and to provide international leadership on the challenges of combating counterfeiting and piracy. Under the theme of ‘Building Respect for Intellectual Property’, this Congress addresses the overlapping social, economic and political dimensions of counterfeiting and piracy, and the need for targeted, integrated responses from a variety of actors.” Mr. Gurry said “WIPO’s work in the field of building respect for intellectual property seeks to facilitate a constructive and balanced international policy dialogue on common challenges and creative solutions. It is therefore with great pleasure that we join with our partners and co-hosts in this rich and stimulating program.

INPI Director General Yves Lapierre welcomed participants and said that France is proud to host this important gathering. This reflects the commitment of the French Government to bring together all sectors – from all countries – in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy, he noted. Mr. LaPierre outlined the French Government’s actions to combat counterfeiting and piracy, which he noted have devastating effects both on the health and safety of consumers, as well as the economy. He said that INPI was active both on the national and international front to ensure respect for intellectual property, which is now widely regarded as a tool for development, and promoted public-private sector partnerships in the fight against counterfeiting. In addition to the creation of a National Anti-Counterfeiting body in 1995, which is premised on strong private-public partnership, France also developed in 2004 an international network dedicated to anti-counterfeiting - forty experts are posted in French embassies and economic services in over 80 countries.

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