INTA strongly supports the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) as an important international framework for stronger, TRIPs-plus enforcement against trademark counterfeiting.
Why You Should Support ACTA
ACTA was negotiated by Australia, Canada, the EU and its 27 Member States, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland and the United States. All countries have signed ACTA except for Switzerland. Although the European Union's Parliament voted against ACTA on July 4, 2012, INTA encourages the remaining countries to sign ACTA and implement the trade agreement.
ACTA would be one of the first international agreements designed specifically to combat counterfeiting in a harmonized and coordinated way, which is absolutely necessary to fight the highly sophisticated counterfeiting networks spanning multiple countries. INTA supports ACTA provisions that call for:
- higher standards and stronger cooperation on combating counterfeiting
- stronger border enforcement especially with relation to goods in transit
- more effective criminal penalties
- stronger international cooperation between enforcement bodies of the signatory countries
- increased cooperation between government and industry
In coordination with the International Chamber of Commerce’s Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting (BASCAP), INTA has led a group of national and international industry associations as the Business Response Group (BRG) to submit recommendations and comments to the negotiators on provisions for ACTA.
September 2012
On September 6, the Japanese legislature voted to ratified ACTA, making Japan the first signatory of agreement to successfully approve the agreement.
See INTA press release.
July 2012
INTA joins more than 150 organizations in
encouraging Members of the European Parliament to support ACTA.
On July 11, the Mexican Ambassador to Japan takes the first step towards Mexico's ratification by signing ACTA.
February 2012
INTA joins 130+ organizations in an industry letter to
Members of the European Parliament and
National Governments to support ACTA.
INTA and ICC BASCAP launch "ACTA in the EU: A Practical Analysis," a
report that describes the benefits of ACTA and provides an overview of the function and legal framework of ACTA.
January 2012
INTA joins other industry groups in Europe in launching the joint paper on
Why You Should Support ACTA.
In a
joint letter, INTA and ICC-BASCAP encourage European Parliament President Martin Schultz to lead Parliament to quickly give its consent to ACTA.
Representatives from the EU and 22 EU Member States
sign ACTA.
October 2011
Australia, Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United States
sign ACTA.
June 2011
The European Commission formally adopts ACTA and sends it to the Council and European Parliament for final approval. INTA and other organizations representing companies operating throughout Europe
applaud the Commission's action.
May 2011
Final ACTA Text released
February 2011
INTA submits
Response to U.S. Trade Representative's Request for Written Comments on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement
November 2010
INTA and BRG Comments on ACTA November 2010 Final Text
Negotiators release
ACTA Final Draft Text, subject to legal review
June 2010
INTA and BASCAP Comments on ACTA April 2010 Draft;
Cover Letter
April 2010
INTA Press Release: Business Community Emphasizes Importance of ACTA
Negotiators release
ACTA Consolidated Text for Public Release
June 2009
BRG Resonse to ACTA Summary of Key Elements
BRG Submission to New Zealand and
Cover Letter
April 2009
Negotiators release
ACTA Summary of Key Elements
December 2008
BRG Memo to ACTA Negotiators
October 2008
BRG Memo to ACTA Negotiators
September 2008
INTA and ICC BASCAP Joint Letter to Ambassador Schwab
July 2008
BRG Memo to ACTA Negotiators
June 2008
BRG Memo to ACTA Negotiators