The
Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy is convened
by a unique public-private partnership
with leaders from the INTERPOL, the World Customs Organization
(WCO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the
Internatioinal Chamber of Commerce/BASCAP initiative (ICC/BASCAP),
the International Trademark Association (INTA) and the International
Security Managers Association (ISMA).
In early 2004,
the need to address the rapidly growing global problem of counterfeiting
and piracy had emerged as a key priority for national governments
and intergovernmental organizations concerned about the myriad
adverse costs to social welfare and economic development that
was resulting from the rampant theft of intellectual property.
Notably, trade in counterfeit goods was rising dramatically worldwide
and had spread to almost every conceivable type of product. Billions
of dollars in revenues were being lost to the black economy. Counterfeit
drugs were putting lives at risk. And there was growing evidence
that transnational organized crime networks were using profits
from trade in counterfeit and pirated goods to fund their activities.
It
was clear that better strategies
– based on more effective cooperation between stakeholders
at national and international level – were needed to combat
the multiple threats posed by this damaging trade. To this end,
the first Congress was convened by the World Customs Organization
(WCO) and INTERPOL with the support of the World Intellectual
Property Organisation (WIPO).
The
three intergovernmental organizations, each with a wealth of experience
in different aspects of combating counterfeiting and piracy, called
together representatives from governments, industry and enforcement
agencies. Together they determined to pool their forces with the
objectives of pushing the fight against counterfeiting and piracy
up the global political and business agenda; of establishing a
high level public-private partnership to pursue collective action;
and of generating conditions which would lead to greater investment
of human and financial resources in enforcement measures. Their
overall goal was to improve the understanding of the full range
and extent of these costs so as to assist member governments confronting
decisions on how investments in IP protection (through legislation
and regulatory enforcement) are related to and can improve other
social and development priorities, such as economic development,
employment, tax base, consumer health and safety, technology transfer,
law enforcement and fighting organized crime. Their resolve laid
the foundations for a global process, now approaching its fourth
year.
A
Steering Group was established
with key partner organizations from the Intergovernmental Organizations
and the global business community in order to build the global
public-private partnership and to ensure that recommendations
were carried through.
Visit
the Congress Archives to learn more
about past Congresses.
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