U.S. Chamber, Government Agencies Committed to Intellectual Property Protection

WASHINGTON, D.C.-The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today applauded the National Intellectual Property Law Enforcement Coordination Council's (NIPLECC) report for demonstrating the federal government's commitment to protecting intellectual property. The report was released as the Chamber held its 3rd Annual Anti-counterfeiting and Piracy Summit.

"The Chamber is committed to making the world a miserable place for counterfeiters and pirates," said David Hirschmann, senior vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "It is clear from the NIPLECC report that it is a growing priority for the administration and it's gaining momentum."

According to the report, the Intellectual Property (IP) Coordinator's office and NIPLECC's have increased coordination and communication between government agencies such as the FBI, Customs and Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Department of Justice (DOJ), in order to fight the growing threat of counterfeiting and piracy.

Among its successes in the past year, NIPLECC and the IP Coordinator's office have advanced efforts within the federal government, Congress, and industry to protect intellectual property here and abroad. Increased enforcement and detection efforts by DOJ and DHS-and the commitment of additional resources in the Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property units-are positive steps towards the arrest and prosecution of these criminals, according to the Chamber.

"A close working relationship between government and industry is imperative in this important fight," said Hirschmann. "The Chamber and the 190-member Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy are pleased to join the federal government as a key partner in its efforts to bring this issue to the forefront of the global community."

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation, representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

www.uschamber.com

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