U.S. Starts Anti-Counterfeiting Initiative

On October 4, 2004, the U.S. government announced the Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP!), a new interagency initiative to combat global trade in pirated and counterfeit goods. The initiative involves both ongoing and new activities that combine domestic law enforcement efforts, proposed statutory and regulatory changes, increased international cooperation, and coordination with the private sector. According to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert B. Zoellick, the U.S. inter-agency campaign will make pirating much more difficult. Other agencies participating will include the Justice Department, the Commerce Department, and the Department of Homeland Security, which includes the customs and border-protection bureau...[more]