For Immediate Release: March 13, 2012
Contact: Lorri Crowley (202) 482-3809
International Trade Administration Introduces Revamped Intellectual Property Website Resource
More User-Friendly www.STOPfakes.gov to Better Protect U.S. Company Intellectual Property
WASHINGTON – Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco Sánchez today unveiled the new and improved www.STOPfakes.gov, an interagency online resource for U.S. companies looking for information on obtaining intellectual property rights (IPR) and enforcing their rights overseas.
“I think it is appropriate that approximately two years after President Obama announced his ambitious National Export Initiative to double U.S. exports, we have introduced a more user-friendly STOPfakes.gov website, which makes it easier for companies to protect their intellectual property abroad,” Sánchez said. “These efforts will help U.S. companies offer their products and services throughout the world with more confidence, strengthening the U.S. economy and supporting American jobs as a result.”
Originally launched in 2005, www.STOPfakes.gov is an invaluable one-stop shop for IPR resources and information that is particularly relevant to small and medium-sized businesses. A self-paced IPR tutorial available in English, French, and Spanish explains patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets and guides small businesses through an IP audit to assess intangible assets.
Through the website, users can report IPR theft to federal law enforcement and obtain a free one-hour consultation with a lawyer knowledgeable on IPR protection. Another resource is the IPR Toolkits. These are self-help manuals that provide the ins and outs of foreign IPR systems to help U.S. companies protect their business and IPR interests in foreign countries. A broad range of IPR materials produced by the European Commission is also available to users through the U.S.-EU TransAtlantic IPR Portal.
The International Trade Administration, in conjunction with the U.S. Government Printing Office, has also improved the layout and overall look of the website. The site now features built-in navigation tools so users can customize the website experience to directly suit their needs. The site was also developed to make the website accessible to users on mobile platforms like tablets and smart phones.
Visit the new site at www.STOPfakes.gov.
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International Trade Administration
The International Trade Administration (ITA) is the premier resource for American companies competing in the global marketplace. ITA has 2,100 employees assisting U.S. exporters in more than 100 U.S. cities and 77 countries worldwide. For more information on ITA visit www.trade.gov.
The International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, manages this global trade site to provide access to ITA information on promoting trade and investment, strengthening the competitiveness of U.S. industry, and ensuring fair trade and compliance with trade laws and agreements. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. This site contains PDF documents. A PDF reader is available from Adobe Systems Incorporated.