Commissioner Kovacs gave the opening speech at the European Intellectual Property Rights Forum in Paris where he outlined the position of intellectual property for the European Commission in 2009.

The speech addressed the question, “whether intellectual property will be a priority of the European Commission in 2009?”. In summary, the answer is “Yes”, intellectual property and its protection will be a priority for the Commission, not only in 2009 but for the foreseeable future.

In his speech, the Commissioner recognised the fundamental importance of intellectual property to the continuing prosperity of the EU. Counterfeiting, he said, is more than a legal offence, more than the violation of intellectual property rights. It undermines the profit of the genuine manufacturers, it endangers jobs there, it results in a loss of budget revenue for the Member States and some fake products endanger the safety, the health and even the life of the citizens of the EU.

On this basis, the Commission gives priority and will continue to give priority to the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights.

Commissioner Kovacs full speech is available at http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/kovacs/speeches/2009/
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