G-8 Pledges to Combat IPRs Piracy and Counterfeiting

ST. PETERSBURG - The Group of Eight (G-8) leaders adopted on Sunday at the G-8 Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia a commitment to strengthen individual and collective efforts to combat piracy and counterfeiting, especially trade in pirated and counterfeit goods.

According to a press release by the official website of the G-8, the leaders noted that such efforts will contribute to the sustainable development of the world economy, as well as to health and safety of consumers all over the world.

All G-8 leaders agreed that combating trade in pirated and counterfeit products is a complex problem which assumes, in the context of globalization, a transborder character, and can only be solved through individual and joint efforts by all nations and relevant international organizations. The leaders also highlighted the usefulness of international congresses and workshops devoted to effective protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPRs).

To continue the anti-piracy and anti-counterfeiting activities, G-8 leaders considered it necessary to enhance cooperation in that area among the G-8 and other countries, as well as competent international organizations, notably the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Customs Organization (WCO), Interpol, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the Council of Europe.

The G-8 leaders also believe that it is essential to give priority to promoting and upholding laws, regulations and/or procedures to strengthen intellectual property enforcement, raising awareness in civil society and in the business community of the legal ways to protect and enforce IPRs and of the threats of piracy and counterfeiting, and also to providing technical assistance in that area to developing countries. Close cooperation between law enforcement agencies, including customs authorities, is also of great importance.

The G-8 leaders suggested the following concrete measures which will form the basis of a G-8 work plan on piracy and counterfeiting:

To create in each G-8 country a website providing businesses and individuals with information on mechanisms available and procedures necessary to secure and enforce their IPRs in that country.

To engage the OECD in preparing and focusing its report estimating the economic consequences of piracy and counterfeiting on national economies and right holders, and public health and safety.

To cooperate with WIPO, WTO, OECD, Interpol and WCO to develop and begin implementing technical assistance pilot plans within the G8 in interested developing countries to build the capacity necessary to combat trade in counterfeit and pirated goods.

To improve border enforcement through increased customs coordination and exchange of enforcement information and best practices designed to better target the trade of counterfeit goods and combat intellectual property crime at the borders, including by examining effective strategies already being implemented within the G-8 Customs Administrations as models for broader cooperation.

To prepare recommendations aimed at improving G-8 member countries' cooperative actions to combat serious and organized intellectual property rights crimes.