Representatives from the International Chamber of Commerce’s (ICC) Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP) initiative gathered with government officials in New York yesterday to discuss strategies for ending the international trade in fake goods.
The meeting was attended by CEOs of companies such as Microsoft, General Electric and Pfizer, as well as the executive director of INTA, Alan Drewsen, the deputy secretary-general of WIPO, Michael Keplinger, and the secretary-general of the World Customs Organization (WCO), Michel Danet. US Trade Representative Susan Schwab also took part.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, BASCAP leaders emphasized the need for quick action on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). Preliminary negotiations for ACTA began in October 2007.
The Agreement is designed to strengthen IP owners’ rights by harmonizing enforcement strategies and legal frameworks among contracting governments. So far, Canada, the EU Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand and Switzerland are taking part in discussions on a deal.
INTA’s Alan Drewsen also announced that the trade mark association and BASCAP have collaborated on a paper outlining the business and IP communities’ expectations for ACTA. Representatives from the organizations presented the paper to Schwab yesterday.
It includes suggested requirements for ACTA, such as asking each member country to designate a chief IP enforcement officer, giving Customs authorities more power to stop fakes at the borders, and addressing the growing problem of counterfeits on the internet.
Drewsen said that he was encouraged by Schwab’s pledge yesterday to pass ACTA by 2008, a timetable which he called “aggressive but appropriate”.
Business leaders also stressed that the consequences of counterfeiting and piracy extend beyond the realm of lost profits. “The economic issue is huge, but it’s also an issue of public health,” said Andreas Fibig, senior vice-president of US pharmaceutical operations for Pfizer. “We’ve found counterfeit Pfizer products in 75 countries, many in legitimate distribution chains,” he said.
Marc-Antoine Jamet, secretary-general of LVMH said: “We need to convince the consumer that they’re always the first victims of counterfeiting.”
Guy Sebban, ICC’s secretary general, said that BASCAP has become increasingly aware of the importance of tackling counterfeiting and piracy at the local level, through culturally-sensitive education and awareness campaigns. However, panellists also acknowledged the inherent challenge of convincing poor consumers to pass up the opportunity to buy cheaper products.
Michael Keplinger of WIPO said that one of the best ways to make consumers aware of the dangers of counterfeiting is to work with creative people, such as filmmakers, in the target communities. “When you mount a public awareness campaign, it does make an impact,” he said.
Notably absent from the meeting were representatives from China and Latin America, two of the world’s most problematic regions for counterfeiting and piracy. Alan Drewsen told Managing IP that one of INTA’s initiatives for the coming year is to form stronger ties with Latin American companies.
Keplinger highlighted the importance of continuing cooperation between all IP stakeholders in educating the public about the dangers of fake goods.
“We cannot afford to ignore the far-reaching and acute threats posed by the spread of counterfeiting and piracy, he said.
“Joining forces, the public and private sectors can make great strides in changing perceptions about the seriousness of the problem and we look forward to collaborating with BASCAP companies in taking concrete steps to raise public awareness about the issue.”
