Commerce Secretary Launches Website to Assist American Innovators and Entrepreneurs Secure
Intellectual Property Rights

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans today announced the launch of a new website dedicated to assisting American innovators and entrepreneurs secure their intellectual property rights at home and abroad. The site, http://www.StopFakes.gov, is an element of the Administration’s “Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy(STOP)” initiative. The initiative protects American businesses and their products from counterfeiters and pirates who are stealing from America’s workers and robbing billions from the U.S. economy.

“When Attorney General Ashcroft, Ambassador Zoellick, Undersecretary Hutchinson and I announced the STOP initiative on October 4, I promised to develop a web-based guide for our innovators and businesses on how to safeguard their ideas and innovations; today we are fulfilling that promise. This website is evidence that we are elevating our cooperation in the federal government and with the private sector in a unified effort against piracy and IPR theft. In the coming weeks and months we will continue to work with our colleagues in the government to expand the resources and information available through this website,” said Evans.
The StopFakes.gov contains

• A pamphlet on Protecting Your Intellectual Property at Home and Abroad
• Key government links for help with intellectual property issues
• A guide to U.S. government resources for protecting intellectual property
• A “China IPR Toolkit” with suggestions regarding what American companies can do to protect their IPR in China and steps to consider after an infringement occurs.

Under the STOP Initiative, Commerce has already

• established a hotline that provides a one-stop-shop for businesses to protect their intellectual property at home and abroad. 1-866-999-HALT provides businesses with the information they need to leverage the resources of the U.S. government protect their intellectual property rights

• built a bridge between companies and US Customs to block bogus goods at the border.

• begun working with industry leaders to develop voluntary guidelines/corporate compliance programs to ensure that their supply chains are free of trade in fakes

The Commerce Department continues to focus on the President’s goal to level the playing field by opening new markets for American products and tough enforcement of international trade laws in order to grow our economy and create new jobs.