Digital Rights Network

Link:
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http://www.patent.gov.uk/about/consultations/enforce05/

Deadline:
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2005-10-07

Who:
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The consultations are open so anyone can respond.

Annex E lists those orgs formally sent a consultation document.

How To Respond
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Please send responses by Friday 7 October 2005 to:

Jeff Watson
Intellectual Property & Innovation Directorate
The Patent Office
Concept House
Cardiff Road
Newport
NP10 8QQ

Fax: +44 (0) 1633 814922
Tel: +44 (0) 1633 813650
Email: EnforcementDirective@patent.gov.uk

Summary of Consultation
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From:
http://www.patent.gov.uk/about/consultations/enforce05/subject.htm

The Commission submitted their original proposal for a Directive to ensure the enforcement of intellectual property rights in March 2003. The European Parliament's Committee on Legal Affairs and the Internal Market agreed their report on the Directive in November 2003, and informed the Council of Ministers that they hoped the Directive could be adopted at First Reading. Following the European Parliament’s report, there were intensive negotiations in the Council Working Party and Permanent Representatives Committee which resulted in a compromise proposal that was adopted after a First Reading in April 2004.

As recorded in the Explanatory Memorandum presented to our Parliament in March 2004, significant changes were made in the adopted Directive compared the Commission's original proposal. The Directive is broadly consistent with the current UK framework for the enforcement of intellectual property rights, and provides a sound basis for harmonising civil measures available to enforce intellectual property rights across the European Community. The Commission's original proposal included criminal sanctions, but most member states (including the UK) considered it inappropriate to include them in such a Single Market measure intended to encourage the free movement of goods.

IP crime has a serious economic effect in the UK and across the European Community, and the Patent Office is continuing to widen its role in helping fight intellectual property crime. Our IP Crime Group published the first National IP Crime Strategy (PDF file 927Kb) in August 2004 and the first National Enforcement Report (PDF file 791Kb) was produced earlier this year. The Commission's current work programme also includes two new proposals for criminal sanctions for intellectual property infringements, which they expect to finalise shortly.