More people than ever before are being successfully prosecuted for committing intellectual property crime in the UK according to a new report.
The IP Crime Report for 2010-2011, published on 9 August by the IP Crime Group, part of the Intellectual Property Office, highlighted that in 2009, a total of 1,711 people were prosecuted under the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 and the Trade Marks Act 1994. That figure has increased every year since 2002, when it stood at 552.
A total of 1,364 people – or 79.7 per cent – were convicted in 2009, up from 72 per cent in 2002.
IP crime includes counterfeiting of trade marked goods, such as clothes, and the piracy of copyrighted material such as CDs and DVDs. The report highlighted an increase in the sale and distribution of counterfeit and pirated goods over the internet and auction websites during the last 12 months with IP crime at sites such as outdoor markets remaining a problem area, although at a reduced level.
Minister for Intellectual Property Baroness Wilcox said a wider range of fakes, including medicines, alcohol and electrical goods, was appearing, adding: “The selling of counterfeited goods and pirated material harms the UK economy, while some fake goods can be dangerous to unwary consumers.”
Iain McColl, an associate in the Gregg Latchams’ Corporate & Commercial department, said: “According to the Alliance Against IP Theft, a coalition of trade and enforcement organisations working to prevent intellectual property theft in the UK, 23 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises have had their businesses significantly affected by IP crimes.
“Clearly, this already a significant problem and the growing use of the internet is likely to exacerbate this, yet the alliance also reports that 40 per cent of businesses surveyed took no practical action such as trade mark registration or employee training to ensure their and others’ IP is protected.
“With IP crime on the increase, it is sensible to work with lawyers specialising in this field to help protect and maximise the value of your own intellectual property and to be sure of expert advice if you believe your IP rights are infringed.”
For more information, please contact Iain McColl.
