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Home | News | US tackles IP theft
US tackles IP theft
Friday, 15 October 2004The US Justice Department has outlined major plans to expand and strengthen its stance against intellectual property crimes.
Attorney General John Ashcroft unveiled the most extensive crackdown on bootleg DVDs, fake designer goods, illegal music downloads and counterfeit drugs.
Speaking to reporters in Los Angeles, Mr Ashcroft cited a new Justice Department report that estimates intellectual property theft worldwide costs US firms as much as $250 billion a year.
"As intellectual property's value to our economy has become more important, however, the theft of this national resource has become epidemic," he said. This represents a haemorrhaging of the work product of American citizens."
The US government plans to improve its specialist units dedicated to fighting IP theft in the United States and in Eastern Europe and Asia, where many counterfeit goods are made. Mr Ashcroft said five specialist units dedicated to identifying and prosecuting intellectual property suspects would be added to the 13 already operating across the country and the FBI would also increase the number of agents assigned to investigations.
The measures represent "the most aggressive, most ambitious, most far-reaching law enforcement effort ever undertaken to protect intellectual property," he said.
A body set up by the Department of Justice to protect intellectual property rights recommended the new measures, which include plans for legislative and regulatory assaults on music and film piracy.
Attorney General John Ashcroft unveiled the most extensive crackdown on bootleg DVDs, fake designer goods, illegal music downloads and counterfeit drugs.
Speaking to reporters in Los Angeles, Mr Ashcroft cited a new Justice Department report that estimates intellectual property theft worldwide costs US firms as much as $250 billion a year.
"As intellectual property's value to our economy has become more important, however, the theft of this national resource has become epidemic," he said. This represents a haemorrhaging of the work product of American citizens."
The US government plans to improve its specialist units dedicated to fighting IP theft in the United States and in Eastern Europe and Asia, where many counterfeit goods are made. Mr Ashcroft said five specialist units dedicated to identifying and prosecuting intellectual property suspects would be added to the 13 already operating across the country and the FBI would also increase the number of agents assigned to investigations.
The measures represent "the most aggressive, most ambitious, most far-reaching law enforcement effort ever undertaken to protect intellectual property," he said.
A body set up by the Department of Justice to protect intellectual property rights recommended the new measures, which include plans for legislative and regulatory assaults on music and film piracy.