UK INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY OFFICE News Release issued by COI News Distribution
Service. 16 October 2008
The UK
Intellectual Property Office (UK-IPO) is playing an active part in
helping the recently established Global Prosecutors' E-Crime
Network (GPEN) which consists of a database of e-crime
prosecutors, a forum for exchanging advice, and e-crime material,
to overcome intellectual property crime.
The UK-IPO is working in partnership with the Crown Prosecution
Service in providing a portfolio of IP training material. The
Network's activity will lead to more successful prosecutions
in the fight to overcome the current multi billion intellectual
property crime business.
David Lammy, Minister of State for Higher Education and
Intellectual Property said:
"IP crime is a serious economic crime which needs to be
tackled on a worldwide basis. The GPEN initiative provides an
ideal opportunity to address this.
This will ensure prosecutions are effectively managed and
enforcement agencies can take informed decisions on targeting the
criminal network.
I am delighted that the UK Intellectual Property Office is taking
an active part in the development of GPEN by contributing IP
training material to fight IP Crime."
This initiative reinforces the UK-IPO's commitment to
supporting and developing a partner agency approach in the ongoing
fight against IP crime. The Gowers Review of Intellectual Property
(recommendation 44) pointed to the need to provide more training
to the criminal courts on the complexities of IP. This partnership
will mean that UK prosecutors as well as global prosecutors will
have access to a broad range of IP training material.
Editors notes
* The initiative follows up the commitments set out in
"Creative Britain: New Talents for the New Economy"
published earlier this year by the Departments for Culture, Media
and Sport (DCMS), Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
(BERR) and Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).
* The UK Intellectual Property Office web site can be found at http://www.ipo.gov.uk
* For enquiries about the UK Intellectual Property Office press
or media activities please contact the Communications Team on
01633 814041.
* GPEN has been developed by the high-tech crime unit of the UK
Crown Prosecution Service's international division in
conjunction with the International Association of Prosecutors
(IAP). GPEN is already set up and will go live in January 2009 http://www.gpen.info/index2.php.
It will comprise of a database of e-crime prosecutors, a forum for
exchanging advice, and host e-crime material including a virtual
training college and legal guidance.