IP owners, government enforcement agencies, and WIPO met in Paris last week for the Sixth Global Congress Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy. Three themes that were repeated throughout the meeting were 1) the need to convince the public to have a greater respect for IP; 2) counterfeits pose a threat to health, safety, and economic growth; and 3) all stakeholders, public and private, national, regional and global, need to cooperate together to address the problems of counterfeits and piracy. BASCAP released a report predicting that the annual economic impact of counterfeiting and piracy will equal $1.7 trillion dollars in 2015.
I took notes on the plenaries and the breakout sessions I attended, and they are here:
- Opening Plenary, February 2
- Breakout Session: Determining the Impact – the Importance of Measuring the Scope and Impact of Infringement
- Afternoon Plenary: Health and Safety Risks Posed by Counterfeits
- Breakout Session: Competition Law and Building Respect for IP
- Breakout Session: IP Enforcement and Sustainable Development – Perspectives and Challenges
- Breakout Session: Determining the Impact – the Importance of Measuring the Scope and Impact of Infringement
- Breakout Session: Financing Effective Enforcement – Innovative Approaches
- Breakout Session: Government Agreements and Initiatives
- Breakout Session: The Power of Education and Awareness in Building Respect for IP
Here is some of the news coverage received by the Global Congress:
- “Sixth Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy Opens in Paris.” Ag-IP News. February 2, 2011.
- “Fake Microsoft Software Sold by Mexican Drug Cartel, Lawyer Says.” Heather Smith for Bloomberg. February 3, 2011.
- “Pirated, Counterfeit Products Value to Touch $1.78 Trillion in 2015.” Economic Times. February 3, 2011.
- “Counterfeit Congress Gives Nod To Developing Country Concerns.” Catherine Saez for Intellectual Property Watch. February 4, 2011.
