SEMA and other members of the Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy (CACP) unveiled a comprehensive agenda to address intellectual property theft. The CACP is a coalition of more than 300 businesses and associations working together with the U.S. government to address the threat of counterfeiting and piracy. The six-part plan calls on Congress to strengthen legal protection and increase resources to ensure effective enforcement. Many of the recommendations are already incorporated in legislation being considered by Congress.
Highlights of the plan include:
- Improve the coordination of federal government intellectual-property enforcement resources.
- Better protect our borders against counterfeiting and piracy by expanding authorities and improving enforcement practices.
- Strengthen criminal enforcement against intellectual-property theft by expanding the resources and tools available for law enforcement at the federal, state and local levels.
- Attack counterfeiting and piracy beyond our borders through improved enforcement training and technical-assistance programs with foreign governments.
- Strengthen ability of rights holders to protect their intellectual property by civil and judicial reform.
- Decrease demand by educating consumers about the harms of counterfeiting and piracy.
For specific details on the six-part initiative, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org. For a free guide to strategies that companies use to protect their supply chains from counterfeiters and modern-day pirates, visit www.thecacp.com/portal/truecosts/resources/supplychain.htm.