Commissioner Verheugen is seeking dialogue regarding IPR enforcement

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Proposals from "A policy framework to strengthen EU manufacturing", launched 5 October 2005.

An Intellectual Property Rights and Counterfeiting Initiative (2006) Intellectual and industrial property rights (IPR) are of key importance for the competitiveness of many industrial sectors. While key areas have already been harmonized, more can be done to ensure that the regulatory framework meets the needs of industry at a time of rapid technological development and societal change. Companies and their clients need IPR which stimulates innovation, provides a stable context in which to make investment decisions, and encourages the development of efficient new business models. The debate engendered by the proposed directive on the patentability of computer-implemented inventions has demonstrated that framing IPR rules which balance the needs of all stakeholders is by no means easy. The Commission will therefore launch a dialogue with industry and other interested parties in 2006 to determine what more might usefully be done to provide European industry with a sound IPR framework. In addition, the proper enforcement of IPR within the internal market and in third countries is of the highest importance to fight counterfeiting and piracy occurring in many sectors. Infringements of IPR can jeopardize legitimate businesses, threaten innovation and sometimes pose problems to public health and safety. Many companies, in particular SMEs, are still not aware of their rights to obtain adequate IP protection, whilst counterfeiting continues to be a major problem in many areas of trade. Taking account existing and planned anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy instruments and measures, including those in the enforcement24 and customs fields, the Commission will review the state of progress in the whole area of IPR with a focus on competitiveness issues and come up with suggestions on how to improve the situation in 2006. Taskforce on ICT Competitiveness (2005/2006) To ensure that public policy provides a supportive environment for the competitiveness of an evolving ICT sector, a taskforce with stakeholders representatives will be set up. Adding to the initiatives the Commission is undertaking under i2010, it will identify key obstacles to competitiveness and possible policy responses, for example in terms of better regulation, skills, IPR, and standardization. The taskforce will also permit a structured dialogue to help mobilize the sector and to draw the attention of Member states to the barriers to the competitiveness of ICT manufacturing in Europe and to the obstacles to wide and effective take-up. A series of competitiveness studies, including for the ICT, food, and fashion and design industries These studies will analyse the trends affecting the competitiveness of industrial sectors with a view to deriving further proposals for concrete policies and actions where necessary.

Source: http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/enterprise_policy/industry/com_2005/sec_2005_1215.pdf