U.S. News: Government Anti-Counterfeiting Initiative Announced

The U.S. has announced a new initiative designed to combat counterfeit parts.
The Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP) is a joint effort of the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative.
“Through STOP, the Bush administration is providing important new opportunities to assist our industry in the global fight against counterfeiting,” said Bob McKenna, president and CEO of Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association.
Automotive parts and components have been recognized by the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, as well as many private sector sources, as one of the U.S. manufacturing sectors targeted by global counterfeiters and traffickers.
The key points of the initiative include a renewed effort by the Justice Department to dismantle large-scale criminal organizations that use counterfeiting to finance their activities, an overhaul and modernization of U.S. statues protecting intellectual property, and joint enforcement actions with foreign governments. It also includes renewed efforts by the Justice Department to increase extraditions against known counterfeiters living overseas and the implementation of new procedures and risk assessments in the Department of Homeland Security to better identify firms trafficking in counterfeit goods
The program will also look to improve the outreach by the federal government to the private sector on trademark registration and intellectual property (IP) protection abroad and to publish the names of overseas firms that produce or trade in counterfeit goods.