ICC Group of CEOs Unveil Plan to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy

GENEVA - Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and senior corporate officials of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) announced in a meeting on January 29, 2007 in Geneva, a wide-ranging new plan that will address piracy and counterfeiting at the root, a press release by the ICC stated.

The plan aims at ensuring policymakers have sufficient information to make decisions, implement policies and apportion resources and compelling national governments to implement legislation protecting Intellectual Property (IP) with sufficient resources for enforcement.

Elements of the plan, which will be carried out by the Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP) and its member companies include:

- A series of reports on the economic and social harm from the illegal activity.
- An index of country-by-country performance on protecting IP, to demonstrate where governments can make improvements.
- A “global compact” of good corporate practices, demonstrating the commitment of business to protect IP.
- A new model for cooperation on cross-border trade and customs.