Written Statement of Kevin J. O'Connor, Chairman of the Department of Justice Task Force on Intellectual Property, at the Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Intellectual Property E...(e and the U.S. Department ofState. Hi...),Health

High-level police and customs officials and prosecutors from the United States, China, Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam took part in the conference, with the aim of increasing cross-border cooperation in the fight against intellectual property theft through the establishment of an IP Crimes Enforcement Network (IPCEN).

Based upon the input and positive response of the participants, the IPCEN will serve two primary functions in the future. First, it will operate as a forum to exchange successful investigation and prosecution strategies in combating piracy and counterfeiting crimes. In closed sessions during the conference, panels of law enforcement experts shared best practices and lessons learned in addressing retail counterfeiting and piracy, the mass production and distribution of counterfeit goods, Internet-based intellectual property theft, and border enforcement. Second, the IPCEN will strengthen communication channels to promote coordinated, multinational prosecutions of the most serious offenders.

Recognizing that effective prosecution of intellectual property crime depends heavily on cooperation between victims and law enforcement authorities, industry representatives also addressed the IPCEN conference regarding the scope and severity of counterfeiting crimes in Asia, and discussed ways to collectively enhance enforcement efforts.

The Department's outreach is not limited by regions or countries. For instance, in 2006 alone, the Department's Criminal Division prosecutors provided training and technical assistance on IP enforcement to over 3,300 foreign prosecutors, investigators, and judges from 107 nations. However, some countries pose greater problems than others for U.S. intellectual property protection efforts. China, for instance, has been of particular concern to U.S. intellectual property rights holders and law
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