UK Launches IP Crime Strategy

by Robin Pilgrim, LawAndTax-News.com, London

13 August 2004

The UK launched its first intellectual property (IP) crime strategy on Wednesday. The blueprint to crackdown on the trade in fake goods was announced by Industry Minister, Jacqui Smith. The government says that piracy and counterfeiting, including DVDs, perfumes, clothing and alcohol, costs the UK economy billions of pounds and undermines the success of many of the UK’s best companies.

The national strategy, developed by the Patent Office, brings together brand owners, police, trading standards and customs to increase the sharing of intelligence between different agencies, improve training for those working at the front-line, better co-ordinate the agencies involved in the fight against intellectual property crime, and monitor progress and success by publishing an annual national enforcement report.

Jacqui Smith said: "Pirates and bootleggers cheat consumers and place a drain on our economy. We cannot and we will not simply turn a blind eye to copyright and trade mark crime."

"Intellectual property crime is not victimless. As well as cheating consumers, the trade in counterfeit goods costs UK companies billions of pounds and thousands of jobs every year. That is why we are working together with industry and law enforcement agencies to clamp down on this illegal trade."

Lord Sainsbury, Minister for Science and Innovation, said:

"I am greatly heartened by the speed with which the Patent Office has been able to pull together such a broad range of interests so quickly to deliver this important strategy. Clearly a common purpose is shared by the police, customs, trading standards and many brand owners to co-ordinate their efforts to best effect. This bodes well for our fight against IP crime."

The chairman of EMI Group, Eric Nicoli, is the music industry representative on the Government’s recently founded Creative Industries IP Forum. He said:

"We are very encouraged that the Government is taking steps to help Britain's creative industries tackle the theft of intellectually property and we welcome this latest enforcement initiative from the Patent Office."

Bryan Lewin, TSI Lead Officer for Intellectual Property at the Trading Standards Institute said:

"Counterfeiting is a global business run by highly-organised serious criminals using it as a low-risk way of laundering money and raising funds for other criminal activities. To tackle crime at this level, Trading Standards, the industry and other enforcement agencies must adopt an equally organised and co-ordinated approach. The National IP Crime Strategy will help to achieve this objective."

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