Growing global trade in pirated and counterfeit goods
threatens America's innovation economy, the
competitiveness of our leading companies and small manufacturers,
and the livelihoods of their workers.
Bogus products - from CDs, DVDs, software and watches to
electronic equipment, clothing, processed foods, consumer
products, and auto parts - are estimated to account for up to
seven percent of global trade and cost legitimate rights holders
around the world billions of dollars annually.
Developed over the last year, the Strategy Targeting
Organized Piracy (STOP!) is the most comprehensive initiative
ever advanced to smash the criminal networks that traffic in
fakes, stop trade in pirated and counterfeit goods at America's
borders, block bogus goods around the world, and help small
businesses secure and enforce their rights in overseas
markets.
Strategy
Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP!) underscores the
Administration's continuing commitment to level the playing
field for American businesses and workers. And it builds on
the Administration's solid track record of real results in
combating global piracy and counterfeiting.
To access the official U.S. Government's website featuring all
the information about "STOP!", click the following link, or copy and
paste in your browser the following URL:
http://www.stopfakes.gov
The Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Toolkit for Italy |
---|
Italy’ protection of intellectual property lags behind that of many other Western European countries and, despite Italian government strides to improve protection, this remains an area of concern for U.S. companies doing business in Italy. In an effort to improve its track record, Italy has passed strong legislation aimed at curbing intellectual property rights (IPR) infringement. However, while the passage of legislation is an important step forward, many of the laws are not fully or effectively enforced. In particular, steep fines for the purchase of counterfeit goods and severe punishments for peer-to-peer file sharing are being challenged in the Italian courts… Use the following link to download the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Toolkit for Italy |