Strategy for Targeting Organized Piracy

Overview

In October 2004, President Bush announced the Strategy for Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP) to “smash the criminal networks that traffic in fakes, stop trade in pirated and counterfeit goods at America’s borders, block bogus goods around the world, and help small businesses secure and enforce their rights in overseas markets.” STOP also calls for collaboration among U.S. agencies.

In 2006, NIPLECC adopted STOP as its plan of action for protecting intellectual property rights abroad. The Administration established STOP! in 2004 to crack down on criminal networks in pirated and counterfeit goods trafficking. STOP! is similar to NIPLECC in that it is a coordinating structure to enhance U.S. IPR protection and enforcement and works with many of the same agencies as NIPLECC, such as the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State, and the USTR. The FDA is not a part of NIPLECC, but is a participant in STOP.

STOP calls upon government agencies to expand and make more effective the efforts underway to assist IP rightsholders — and to seek out new approaches and solutions. STOP focuses on five key objectives:

• Empowering American innovators to better protect their rights at home and abroad;
• Increasing efforts to seize counterfeit goods at U.S. borders;
• Pursuing criminal enterprises involved in piracy and counterfeiting;
• Working closely and creatively with U.S. industry; and
• Aggressively engaging our trading partners to join U.S. efforts.