Union Government launched IPR Enforcement Toolkit for Police

The Union Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 4 January 2017 launched an Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Enforcement Toolkit for police in New Delhi.

This toolkit will be a ready reckoner for police officials across the country in dealing with IP crimes, specifically trademarks counterfeiting and copyrights piracy.

About IPR Enforcement Toolkit for Police

• In addition to details of offences under various laws, it provides for checklists for registering a complaint and conducting search and seizures.

• It lays down general guidelines for search and seizure in case of IP crimes.

• This toolkit will be provided to all state police departments across the nation and will assist them in dealing with the cases relating to Trademarks and Copyrights infringements.

• The toolkit has been jointly prepared by Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

Role of CIPAM in IPR Promotion

• The Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) works under the aegis of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) of the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

• The CIPAM is working to ensure effective implementation of the National IPR Policy 2016.

• CIPAM is collaborating with the International Trademark Association (INTA) to launch an IPR Awareness campaign for schoolchildren.

• The campaign would spread the message on IPRs in a creative and engaging manner through the use of presentations.

• The presentations consist of creatively illustrated posters and pamphlets which cover the basics on IPRs and the need to protect IPRs.

• In order to strengthen the Enforcement mechanism, CIPAM has also organized seven batches of training programmes for Police officials in Andhra Pradesh.

• A three-day training programme was organised for Assistant Police Officials (APOs) and Police Officials in Uttar Pradesh.

• During these training programmes, trainees enacted plays and participated in quizzes and other activities based on IPRs.

• CIPAM has also written to all the state police and judicial academies to undertake training of police and judicial officers on Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights.

• CIPAM is actively facilitating international engagements in the field of IPRs.

• Two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) on IPRs were signed with the UK and Singapore.