NEW LAW ON IP IN THE USA.

This is the Capitol Hill of the United States of America, where all law will be approved and enacted here by the law makers of the USA's House of Representative and House of Senate.

The White House has unveiled its first Joint Strategic Plan on intellectual property theft developed by the Office of Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator. The office headed by Miss Victoria Espinel, was established to develop a comprehensive IPR plan through coordination efforts with various government agencies responsible to deter intellectual property theft and inputs from the public.

This is the White House for the Office of the President of the United States and his close family official Residence. For the Executive Power will be decided within the power of the President.

The plan contains more than thirty recommendations for improvements on IPR which is divided into six main categories. The six main categories include:

i) We will lead by example and will work to ensure that the Federal government does not purchase or use infringing products;

ii) We will support transparency in the development of enforcement policy, information sharing and reporting of law enforcement activities at home and abroad;

iii) We will improve coordination and thereby increase the efficiency and effectiveness of law enforcement efforts at the Federal, state and local level, of personnel stationed overseas and of the U.S. Government’s international training efforts;

iv) We will work with our trading partners and with international organizations to better enforce American intellectual property rights in the global economy;

v) We will secure supply chains to stem the flow of infringing products at our borders and through enhanced cooperation with the private sector; and

vi) We will improve data and information collection from intellectual property-related activity and continuously assess domestic and foreign laws and enforcement activities to maintain an open, fair and balanced environment for American intellectual property right holders.

This is the location of the office for Intellectual Property Right in Washington DC.

Under the summary of literature contributions received, Malaysia was cited as one of the 17 countries connected between film piracy with organized crime rings. The summary was captured from a report published by RAND Corporation’s Safety and Justice Program and the Global Risk and Security Center. The Malaysia organized crime group identified was the Ang Bin Hoey triad which was cited to have been engaged in turf battles to maintain control over lucrative piracy markets, battles that resulted in knife and spear fights; robberies of bystanders, including families at bus stops; and assassinations of rival gang leaders.

Organized Crime:

Several organizations including the Copyright Alliance have cited the 2009 report by the RAND Corporation’s Safety and Justice Program and the Global Risk and Security Center. Through the study of 14 different cases, the report identified “a broad, geographically dispersed, and continuing connection between film piracy and organized crime” and links profits from motion picture piracy to 17 different organized crime rings in the U.S., Canada, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Paraguay, Russia, Spain, Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom. The report also documented film piracy as having been used to finance terrorist group activities in three of the 14 case studies, including those of Hezbollah, a group designated as a foreign terrorist organization by DOS. The Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies (ASOP) notes in its submissions examples of investigations, indictments or convictions linking counterfeiting of prescription drugs to terrorist organizations and organized crime networks.

 

Very nice flowers during Spring season in Washington DC, where the USA trying to enforce new law of IP.

Immediately after the unveiling of the plan, David Hirschmann, President & CEO of the U.S. Chamber’s Global Intellectual Property Center, US Chambers of Commerce and President and CEO Kevin M. Burke from the American Footwear and Textile Association released the following remarks in support for the plan:

“The United States government took a historic and very meaningful step towards fighting intellectual property theft worldwide and this is the first ever National IP Enforcement Strategy which could improve our nation’s ability to combat counterfeiting and piracy”.

President and CEO Kevin M. Burke from the American Footwear and Textile Association also provides his remark:

“The United States has long needed an aggressive, collaborative, and practical approach to combating the scourge of counterfeiting that continues to harm U.S. apparel and footwear brands competing in the global market”.

“For the last four years, the U.S. apparel and footwear industry has consistently been the largest victim of IP theft with over half of the seizures by U.S. Customs and Border Protection being footwear, fashion accessories, and apparel. Without an approach forward, the threat of IP theft in stores or through e- commerce will continue to pose significant dangers to U.S. consumers, harm the reputations of U.S. brands, and rob the U.S. government of tax revenue”.

The 2010 Joint Strategic Plan on IPR is just for information.

Salam.......................................................