INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
(CT:CON-804; 04-30-2018)
(Office of Origin: CA/OCS)
7 FAM 691 SUMMARY
(CT:CON-780; 01-16-2018)
a. Counterfeit and pirated goods are widely available in many countries, including the United States. Transactions involving such products are illegal in most countries and bringing infringing products back to the United States may result in forfeitures and/or fines. The strong protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights is an important policy of the U.S. Government.
b. Intellectual Property encompasses a variety of subject matter, including, but not limited to, copyrights, patents, and trademarks. Some examples of infringement in these areas include the following:
· Video piracy
· Music piracy
· Trademark counterfeiting
· Software and book piracy
· Pharmaceutical counterfeiting
· Counterfeiting of consumer and electrical goods
c. Various Department of State offices are responsible for promoting policies to encourage the protection of intellectual property, including EB, INL, OES, IO, ECA, and L. Consular Affairs (CA) frequently encounters these cases in the context of judicial assistance requests when the matter becomes the subject of litigation or prosecution. (See 7 FAM 900.) Intellectual property issues are also addressed in certain CA Country Specific Information. (See 7 FAM 000 Appendix A).
d. In addition to the Department of State, other U.S. Federal agencies are responsible for intellectual property issues. These include the following:
(1) U.S. Department of Homeland Security Bureaus of Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement;
(2) U.S. Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
(3) U.S. Trade Representative;
(4) U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration; and
(5) U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
7 FAM 692 through 699 Unassigned