PARIS - The leaders of the G8 must take bigger, bolder steps to beat back counterfeiting and piracy, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) said in a letter sent to G8 leaders in advance of their Summit Meeting to be held in Heiligendamm, Germany, June 6-8, 2007.
According to a press release by the ICC, the letter, signed by 23 CEOs and senior business executives, included recommendations for immediate actions to be taken by the G8 countries. Such recommendations were made through the Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP), an initiative launched by the ICC to unite the global business community to more effectively identify and address Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) issues and petition for greater commitments by local, national and international officials in the enforcement and protection of IPRs.
The recommendations to be considered in Heiligendamm are:
- Abolish all known counterfeiting and pirate markets (physical and online/internet) within the borders of G8 countries;
- Prohibit transhipment of counterfeits through free trade zones;
- Assess law enforcement, border control and adjudication capabilities of G8 member countries, and allocate funding to improve national capabilities in these areas to effectively protect IP and stop counterfeiting and piracy;
- Fortify and implement proactive enforcement of laws against counterfeiting and piracy and implement strong criminal sanctions and associated criminal penalties that provide real deterrents to IP crimes.