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ICC moves to strengthen key IP process

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has called upon G8 justice ministers and foreign ministers to press for better IP protection measures during the G8 Summit in Japan next month.

ICC recommendations have centred on the Heiligendamm Process, established at last year's G8 Summit. The process promotes dialogue on several levels, including IP, between G8 nations and the emerging Outreach Five (O5) economies of China, Mexico, South Africa, Brazil and India. The Chamber is urging the G8 to commit the resources necessary for the process to beat IP theft, in order to facilitate innovation and economic development.

The summit, to be held in Hokkaido Toyako from 7-9 July, comes at a time when seven of the G8 are actively negotiating the proposed Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). In its letter to ministers – backed by the member companies of ICC’s Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP) initiative – the ICC also calls for the G8 to support ACTA, which has the potential to set higher standards for national and global action to deal with counterfeiting and piracy.

ICC secretary general, Guy Sebban, said: 'In many countries, the legislation is in place but not properly enforced. A strong commitment to the Heiligendamm Process is indispensable to the ability of the G8 to contribute value to the resolution of counterfeiting and piracy.

‘The ACTA negotiations provide the first real opportunity in years to elevate standards for government performance in protecting against intellectual property theft. We would hope that one of the key outcomes of the Hokkaido Toyako Summit will be G8 support for an ACTA agreement. Governments around the world would then be able to create the right environment to curb this illegal activity that has a huge negative impact on the economy worldwide.'

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