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EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO COUNTER COUNTERFEITING AND PIRACY
BEING DEVISED Doctor ASHWANI KUMAR
10 PERCENT REDUCTION IN PIRACY IN INDIA COULD CREATE 115000 NEW IT JOBS
FICCI ICC SEMINAR HELD
Date : 01 Dec 2006
Location : New Delhi
Effective strategies are being devised to counter
the menace of counterfeiting and piracy, Dr. Ashwani Kumar, Minister of State
for Industry, said here today while inaugurating a Seminar on “Fighting
Counterfeiting and Piracy”, organised by the Federation of Indian Chamber of
Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). The
TRIPs Agreement has mandated the protection of IPRs as an enforceable obligation
on part of all the member States of WTO. “India has also ensured the
establishment of an intellectual property enforcement regime in consonance with
its international obligations. While provisions exist in law, we are equally
conscious of the need to improve its effective implementation in both letter and
spirit”, the Minister said.
Dr. Kumar said that fighting counterfeiting and
piracy was particularly important because it entailed huge losses to owners of
intellectual property with adverse impact on national economies and global
trade. Quoting a recent study by the International Data Corporation, he said
that a mere 10 per cent reduction in piracy in India could translate into
115,000 new IT jobs, pump in $ 5 billion as additional revenue and $ 386 million
as additional tax revenue for the economy.
Outlining the series of steps taken to address
the issue in India, Dr. Kumar said: “In India, enforcement of Intellectual
Property Rights is regulated through different agencies including the Customs,
Police and Judiciary. The Copyright Enforcement Advisory Council headed by the
Education Secretary has as its members, police chiefs of 21 States, besides
other stakeholders. This is a national level body, recently reconstituted with a
view to evolve effective strategies for enforcement of Intellectual Property
Rights. Several State Governments have also created special IPR cells as well as
appointed nodal officers. Efforts by the Government have also been complemented
by strong initiatives from the private sector. A noteworthy campaign has been
launched by NASSCOM against software piracy. Innovative measures like the
setting up of toll-free lines to speed up the process of detection have also
been launched”, he said.
Mr. Jean-Rene Fourtou, Chairman, ICC & Chairman
of the Supervisory Board, Vivendi also addressed the Seminar, which discussed
intellectual property protection in India, with particular emphasis on actions
the government and business can take in the fight against counterfeiting and
piracy. Other eminent speakers were: Mr. N. N. Prasad, Joint Secretary,
Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP); Mr. Simon Ashenden, Cisco
Brand Protection Manager, Asia Pacific & Japan and Mr. Ashok Gupta, Vice
President, Hindustan Lever Limited.
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