[A2k] Fwd: FW: Counterfeiting: Paris proposes a European observatory - from Europolitics

Wed Sep 3 13:15:11 2008

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***From:* BEUC - news
***Sent:* Friday, August 29, 2008 3:44 PM
***To:* BEUC - legal
***Cc:* BEUC - communications; BEUC - news; do
***Subject:* Counterfeiting: Paris proposes a European observatory - from
Europolitics

Intellectual property
***Counterfeiting: Paris proposes a European observatory*
By Anne Fekete | 28 August 2008

The French Presidency is proposing the creation of a =AB***European
Observatory on Counterfeiting, in order to obtain, from public and private
sector data, a regular evaluation of the extent of counterfeiting and pirac=
y
as well as a more precise analysis of these phenomena*=BB. The quoted text
comes from a draft resolution that will be submitted to the Council's
Intellectual Property group on 3 September and to the Customs Union group
(legislation and customs policy) on 5 September.

The resolution follows a communication by the European Commission, adopted
on 16 July (COM(2008) 465), in which it exposes its =AB***strategy in the
field of industrial property rights (IPR) for Europe*=BB (see***
Europolitics*3574) and covers the entire spectrum of industrial
property rights (patents,
brands and other industrial property rights such as rights associated with
geographical indications and new plant varieties).

The draft resolution welcomes the proposed strategy. Besides the creation o=
f
a European observatory, it invites the Commission to translate these
orientations, in particular =AB***via the development of actions of awarene=
ss
and communication among the parties involved in the fight against the
counterfeiting and piracy of works on the internet and of consumers,
including via the establishment of a European awareness day of the dangers
of counterfeiting and via the development of operational guides*=BB.

In the framework of their respective competences, member states and the
Commission are, in particular, invited to:

- present a customs plan to combat counterfeiting for the years 2009 to
2012;

- present suitable proposals to encourage partnerships between the public
and private sectors to combat counterfeiting and piracy, recommend best
practice relating to internet sales in particular and promote collaboration
between professionals;

- contribute to strengthening the respect and protection of intellectual
property rights in all bilateral and multilateral agreements made by the
European Union; in particular via the draft Anti-Counterfeiting Trade
Agreement (ACTA), a recent proposal intended to strengthen the internationa=
l
framework of IPRs. This joint initiative by the United States and Japan
follows the conclusion of an international agreement on combating IPR
violations. It cites three main areas which the agreement should relate to:
international cooperation, mainly between customs and other law enforcement
authorities, improvement of the application framework of IPRs via the
reinforcement of competences, and the statutory framework.

Draft resolution (available only in French) : ***
http://www.europolitics.info/web/external-file/pdf/gratuit_en/231788-en.pdf=
*<http://www.europolitics.info/web/external-file/pdf/gratuit_en/231788-en.p=
df>