US State Dept. Details Global Anti-Piracy Projects

The United States State Department today released information about 15 projects worldwide this year aimed at training foreign officials and prosecutors in intellectual property rights protection. The full press release follows.

Intellectual Property Training Programs Funded

Media Note
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC

December 17, 2010
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As part of United States efforts to combat transnational crime and promote the rule of law and the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) worldwide, the State Department has approved fifteen new projects totaling $3.36 million in Fiscal Year 2010 (FY10) anti-crime funds to enable U.S. law enforcement agencies and diplomatic missions to collaborate in the delivery of international enforcement training and technical assistance programs on intellectual property rights protection.

Training and technical assistance in the investigation and prosecution of intellectual property crime will be provided to foreign law enforcement partners in nations across the Pacific Rim, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Africa. The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and the Bureau of Economic, Energy and Business Affairs selected the projects after considering input from industry, other federal agencies, our overseas missions, and Congress.

The fifteen projects are:

Brazil $50,400
Training for Brazilian Federal Police in coordination with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and Brazilian non-governmental organizations.

Interpol $167,000
Funding for U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) instructors to participate in Interpol-managed training workshops for developing countries.

Latin American Online Piracy $142,944
Training for judges from Peru, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay on combating digital/online copyright piracy crimes.

Latin American Counterfeit Medicines $112,452
Training for enforcement officials and judges from Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay on combating counterfeit pharmaceuticals.

Middle East/North African Online Piracy $135,000
Workshops for prosecutors from Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Morocco on combating digital/online copyright piracy crimes.

Mexico $720,000
A seven-part project for Mexican enforcement officials in combating hard goods and digital piracy, including following money trails left by organized crime.

China-Japan Regional Training $142,040
Joint training for People’s Republic of China (PRC) enforcement officials alongside counterparts from the U.S. and Japan focused on strengthening cooperation.

China-Malaysia Regional Training $161,800
Joint training for PRC and Malaysian enforcement officials on combating IPR crime.

China-Japan-Korea Regional Training $48,000
Joint training for PRC judges and prosecutors alongside Japanese and Republic of Korea (ROK) counterparts.

Peru $146,272
Assistance in creating a special task force to combat counterfeit pharmaceuticals

Philippines $22,600
Training for Philippines customs and police

Russia and Central Asia $499,649
A five-part program to build capacity in the Russia and Central Asia region, including legislative drafting assistance, training for Russian judges, prosecutors and customs and border officials, and joint workshops with PRC and Central Asian counterparts.

South Asia Regional $151,312
Joint training for Pakistan and Sri Lanka border and customs officials.

South African Regional $152,558
Joint training for customs, police and health officials from South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, and Zambia focused on combating counterfeit pharmaceuticals.

Sub-Saharan Africa $714,221
A five-part program for law enforcement in Sub-Saharan Africa designed specifically to strengthen the judiciary, on digital evidence and on counterfeit pharmaceuticals.

For more information, please contact Susan Pittman at 202-647-2842.

PRN: 2010/1838