US and EU to take joint action over fake goods

Preview of a summit in Vienna on 20 June 2006 at which the United States and European Union were due to sign a landmark agreement to establish joint diplomatic and customs teams domestically and abroad, in an effort to stem the world's swelling tide of counterfeit goods.
US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, European Commission Vice President and Commissioner for Industry Gunter Verheugen and EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson launched on 20 June 2006 a joint EU-US action programme to tackle global intellectual property piracy. The programme was conceived in 2005 and was endorsed by the EU-US Summit in Vienna on 21 June 2006. The joint strategy is an important reinforcement of the global fight against counterfeiting and intellectual property theft. It is the first EU-US joint enforcement programme of its kind.

European Commission: DG Trade: Press Release, 20.6.06: EU-US Summit: EU and US step up joint fight against counterfeiting http://ec.europa.eu/comm/trade/issues/bilateral/countries/usa/pr200606_en.htm

European Commission: DG Trade: Press Release, 21.6.06: Mandelson: US-EU joint approach can strengthen fight against counterfeiting, boost Doha Round http://ec.europa.eu/comm/trade/issues/bilateral/countries/usa/pr210606_en.htm

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