Archive of news stories, click onthe year to see the News from that year.

2006 2005 2004

2003 2002 2001

2000 1999

2006 News

05 October 2006
FACT appoints new Director General.
The Federation Against Copyright Theft (‘FACT’) is delighted to announce the appointment of Kieron Sharp as its new Director General. Kieron takes up his post on 6th November 2006.

26 July 2006
Councils Call for Government Action Against IP Crime.
Over 250 delegates at the Local Government Association Conference in Bournemouth demanded urgent Government action to target IP crime. They were joining a call from the Alliance Against IP Theft and the Trading Standards Institute for greater funding for trading standards officers to tackle a growing problem.  

13 June 2006
‘Sale of Fake Goods Online - A Growing Problem’ says Alliance.
On World Anti-Counterfeiting Day, the Alliance Against Intellectual Property (IP) Theft is warning buyers to beware when they purchase goods online.

08 May 2006
The Alliance today echoed the CBI's call for a dedicated Minister for IP.
The Alliance Against Intellectual Property Theft has welcomed the launch of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) as a major step forward in policing.

27 April 2006
"Gowers must tackle enforcement concerns" says Alliance
The Alliance Against Intellectual Property (IP) Theft has urged the Gowers Review to recommend important changes to the way intellectual property rights are enforced in the UK. Alliance Director General, Susie Winter, was commenting as it made its submission to the Treasury commissioned Gowers Review of Intellectual Property.

03 April 2006
“SOCA Must Target IP Theft” says Alliance
The Alliance Against Intellectual Property Theft has welcomed the launch of the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) as a major step forward in policing.

10 March 2006
Secure Use of IP in Digital Age to Benefit Both Consumers and Industry, says Alliance Against IP Theft
New media and technological advances are delivering great benefits to consumers, according to the Alliance Against IP Theft.

27 February 2006
MPs Encouraged to ‘Spot the Fake’
The creative industries contribute over 8% of the UK’s GDP and are responsible for nearly two million jobs, but there remains a significant lack of understanding regarding the role and importance of intellectual property (IP).

MPs are therefore being challenged to ‘Spot the Fake’ at a new exhibition in the House of Commons. The exhibition, organised by the Alliance Against IP Theft, will allow MPs and Peers to view examples of fake goods, and hear first hand the importance of IP to innovation and enterprise.

20 February 2006
Alliance welcomes Assets Recovery Agency and York City Council confiscation order
The Alliance welcomes today's announcement that the Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) Financial Investigators, working in partnership with City of York Council Trading Standards, were successful in obtaining a Confiscation Order in the sum of £39,000 in relation to the sale of counterfeit goods at local car boot sales.

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2005 News

05 December 2005
Alliance to feed into review of intellectual property
Following the announcement by the Chancellor of a review into intellectual property rights in the UK, Alliance chair, Lavinia Carey, said: “This announcement is the confirmation of a manifesto commitment given by Labour at the election in May resulting from the Alliance’s lobbying the government, Lord Sainsbury and his officials. The Alliance will be keeping a close eye on developments and feeding in to this review.”

13 October 2005
Alliance welcomes Government acknowledgement of impact of IP theft
The acknowledgement from the Government of the impact of intellectual property (IP) theft on the UK economy and industry is very welcome, says the Alliance Against IP Theft.

21 August 2005
Crackdown on Car Boot Counterfeiters
Over a million people are expected to flood to car boot sales next Bank Holiday weekend, in search of a bargain. Yet few will be aware that this most traditional of British past-times is increasingly being abused by organised criminal gangs determined to profit from the sale of fake and counterfeit goods - from CDs and DVDs, to football shirts, fake perfumes, and even children’s clothes and toys.

11 August 2005
Record confiscation order awarded against convicted DVD pirates
A record confiscation order resulting from the importation and sale of pirated DVDs has been awarded against two men, who were imprisoned for the crimes in 2003.

29 June 2005
"Criminals Benefit when you buy fakes " says the Alliance Against Property Theft
The Alliance Against Intellectual Property (IP) Theft today reveals that the UK's black market in counterfeit and pirated goods is netting the organised criminal gangs behind the trade an estimated £9 billion a year.

02 June 2005
Alliance seeks director
Due to its expanding remit and reach of influence, the growing importance of IP theft on the political agenda and encouraged by its success to date, there is now a need for a secretariat to be set up at the Alliance to manage and co-ordinate the lobbying and PR activities on behalf of its members.

13 May 2005
Jowell's Threat to the IP Pirates
Speaking at a Cannes Film Festival meeting of EU Culture Ministers, Tessa Jowell confirmed that the Government will be following up their manifesto pledges with action: "We stand behind our creators and innovators and we're coming after the pirates. Now is the time to turn that promise into reality."

28 April 2005
Labour Promise to Clamp Down on IP Theft
The Alliance Against Counterfeiting and Piracy campaign to strengthen intellectual property law took a major step forward today following the announcement of a Labour pledge to take tougher action to tackle IP theft should they win a third term in office.

14 April 2005
Alliance Supports Election Manifesto Commitments
The Alliance Against Counterfeiting and Piracy today welcomed the commitment given in the Labour and Conservative manifestos to tackle the growing threat of piracy.

16 March 2005
Alliance Supports Consumer & Trading Standards Agency Proposals
The Alliance welcomes the Budget announcement of a new Consumer & Trading Standards Agency to be created at the centre of Government to coordinate work on consumer protection and trading standards.

15 March 2005
MP Launches Bill to Crackdown on Counterfeiting & Piracy
Brian White MP has called on the Government to introduce immediate legislation to address concerns over the lack of resources to tackle the sharp rise in intellectual property theft.

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2004 News

13 December 2004
Alliance Backs Calls for a Crackdown on Film Piracy
The Alliance Against Counterfeiting & Piracy welcomes the UK Film Council report, Film Theft in the UK. At a time of the year when criminals are conning the public and attempting to sell even more counterfeit goods, it is a timely reminder of the extent of the problem and the damage it causes.

21 October 2004
Alliance Backs Trading Standards 'Get Real' Campaign
With National Consumer Week underway, the Alliance Against Counterfeiting & Piracy today backed the ‘Get Real’ campaign to alert consumers to the dangers of fake goods and outlined proposals to tackle the criminal gangs that are defrauding and threatening consumers.

10 August 2004
Alliance welcomes National IP Crime Strategy
The Alliance welcomes the National IP Crime Strategy launched today by the Government and Patent Office.

21 July 2004
Cllr Richard Marbrow of Liverpool City Council wins DVD Player in prize draw
Cllr Richard Marbrow of Liverpool City Council, Executive Member for Community Safety, was first out of the hat in the Alliance's prize draw to win a DVD player and the top 10 DVDs

15 July 2004
Local authorities call for national legislation to crack down on markets selling goods
Councillors and Local Authority officers have given overwhelming support for proposals to change the law to crack down on the sale of counterfeit and pirated goods at local markets and car boot sales.

The cross-industry Alliance Against Counterfeiting & Piracy has launched a campaign to tackle this illegal activity, wrest local markets from the clutches of criminals and return them to local people. A package of legislative reform is being proposed which will address the growing problem of counterfeit and pirated goods being sold at occasional sales.

12 March 2004
Ep's votein favour of EU enforcement directive ‘An important step forward ’ says Alliance
The Alliance Against Counterfeiting and Piracy welcome the European Parliament’s vote this week in favour of the EU Enforcement Directive.

09 February 2004
Comment from the AACP on the creation of a Serious Organised Crime Agency
The Alliance Against Counterfeiting and Piracy today welcomed the announcement by the Government of the creation of a Serious Organised Crime Agency, to be launched in 2006. Counterfeiting and piracy is a major funder of organised crime, as documented in the Alliance report,' Proving the Connection'. This area of organised crime is growing, so moves to tackle such criminal activity are very welcome. However, bearing in mind the rapidly increasing scale of this illegal activity the Alliance hopes that other Government initiatives designed to improve enforcement of intellectual property rights continue to be developed in the interim.

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2003 News

16 July 2003
Local authorities support crackdown on markets selling fake goods
Nine out of ten councillors and local authority officers would support changes to the law to crackdown on the sale of fake and counterfeit goods at local markets and car boot sales, according to a survey of 235 delegates at the recent Local Government Association Conference.

19 June 2003
New report finds organised crime not ‘harmless del boys ’ are behind UK fakes
A new report, Proving the Connection, published today on World Anti-Counterfeiting Day, outlines over a dozen cases which, taken together, demonstrate the link between intellectual property theft and organised crime.

03 June 2003
House Of Lords Ruling Clarifies Trade Mark Law
The Lords held that that the burden of proving the statutory defence under the Act rests upon the accused and that the prosecutor does not have to disprove that defence.

07 May 2003
Dawn raid on Essex “counterfeits factory”
The true costs of counterfeiting and piracy were uncovered in a lightning dawn raid by Essex police - accompanied by the BPI’s Anti-Piracy Unit and Essex Trading Standards - on two properties in Braintree, Essex, this morning.

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2002 News

18 December 2002
Alliance’s Party to Celebrate the Enactment of the Vince Cable Bill
On the 11th December, The Alliance Against Counterfeiting and Piracy held a Christmas Party at the Cinnamon Club, SW1, to celebrate the enactment of the Copyright and Trade Marks (Offences and Enforcement) Bill.

08 November 2002
Copyright, etc, and Trade Marks (Offences and Enforcement) Act 2002
Following Royal Assent in the Summer, the Bill will become law on the 20th November 2002.

24 July 2002
Major new anti-piracy law gets royal assent
The Private Member’s Bill introduced by Dr Vincent Cable MP to increase penalties for copyright theft and improve provisions for search warrants and forfeiture of infringing goods today received Royal Assent. It will be in force in the Autumn.

17 July 2002
Bill passes through Third Reading in the Lords
The Copyright, etc and Trade Marks (Offences and Enforcement) Bill passed through its Third Reading in the House of Lords yesterday.

04 July 2002
New counterfeiting figures underline need for better funding for trading standards
The Alliance Against Counterfeiting and Piracy today called for more funding for Trading Standards Departments in their battle against counterfeiters and pirates. Figures released at today’s AGM show that British industry continued to lose over £8.5 billion in 2001 from counterfeiting and piracy. While this figure is slightly down on 2000, when industry lost nearly £9 billion, the Treasury is still losing nearly £1.5 billion through unpaid VAT – money that could be invested in hospitals and schools.

22 May 2002
Bill ever closer to becoming law (Hansard)
Following its second reading in the House of Lords, Dr Cable's private member's bill, the Copyright etc and Trade Marks (Offences and Enforcement) Bill, looks certain to become law by the summer. Lord Razzall guided the Bill through its second reading on Friday 10 May receiving Government and cross party support.

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2001 News

04 December 2001
MPs Call on Government to Take Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy
A cross-party group of MPs are calling on the Government to introduce immediate legislation to address concerns over the sharp rise in intellectual property theft.

23 November 2001
Fake Goods Bill Set to Become Law
Legislation to crackdown on the makers of fake and counterfeit products looks set to become law next summer after MPs from across the political spectrum gave Dr Vincent Cable's Copyright, etc. and Trade Marks (Offences and Enforcement) Bill a second reading this lunchtime.

22 November 2001
"Don't be duped by dangerous Christmas Fakes" - Vincent Cable MP
Dr Vincent Cable, MP for the West London constituency of Twickenham, will tomorrow introduce legislation to crackdown on the makers of fake and counterfeit products. Pushed for cash as the Christmas season approaches, many people consider buying cheap fakes and imitations. But Vincent Cable MP has warned local people not be duped.

16 November 2001
MP to warn of danger of Christmas Fakes
Ahead of the second reading of his Copyright, etc. and Trade Marks (Offences and Enforcement) Bill, Dr Vincent Cable MP will give a live demonstration of the many dangerous counterfeit goods which could find their way under your tree this Christmas. The presents will then be delivered to Trade and Industry Secretary, Patricia Hewitt MP.

10 August 2001
Alliance Success in Private Members' Ballot - Vincent Cable
Vincent Cable, Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham, today launched a Bill to create penalties of up to ten years imprisonment for the manufacture and sale of counterfeit goods. Vincent Cable said "In the interest of the public it is time we started taking counterfeiting seriously. Consumers are being ripped off and their lives put at risk."

11 July 2001
Industry Calls on Government to End £9 Billion Theft of British Ideas
The Alliance Against Counterfeiting and Piracy today called for legislation to halt the rising tide of intellectual property crime. The annual members' survey, announced at their AGM today, shows that counterfeiting and piracy cost British industry almost £9 billion in 2000, an 8% increase on losses in 1999. The losses equate to £1.5 billion in lost tax revenue to the Chancellor.

10 April 2001
Software black market spirals (BBC Online)
Roger Bennett, Director-General of the European Leisure Software Publishing Association (ELSPA) and a leading member of the Alliance, told the BBC that 10 pirated computer games are sold for every 1 legitimate sale. The "informal economy" is now worth up to £100 bn a year.
(Source: BBC Online)

01 March 2001
Howells Welcomes Piracy and Counterfeiting Bill
Consumer Affairs Minister, Dr Kim Howells, today welcomed the publication of the Copyright, etc. and Trade Marks (Offences and Enforcement) Bill.

01 March 2001
MP Launches Bill to Crack Down on Counterfeiters
Andrew Miller, Labour MP for Ellesmere Port and Neston, today launched a Bill to create penalties of up to ten years imprisonment for the manufacture and sale of counterfeit goods.

16 January 2001
MP Announces Choice of Private Members' Bill
Labour MP Andrew Miller is set to introduce a private members' bill to combat counterfeiting and piracy.

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2000 News

06 July 2000
Theft of Ideas Costs British Industry £8 Billion
Intellectual property crime cost British industry £8.19 billion in 1999, a 27.6% increase on 1998 losses. This figure is the result of a member survey conducted by the Alliance Against Counterfeiting and Piracy, and will be announced today at their first annual general meeting. The losses equate to £1.36 billion in lost tax revenue to the Chancellor.

17 March 2000
Second Reading for Copyright & Trade Marks Bill
The Copyright and Trade Marks Bill received its second reading in the House of Lords on Friday 17th March. Following the debate Lord McNally has withdrawn the bill, in order to give the government time to formulate its response to the consultation.
A transcript of the debate is available on the Hansard website.

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1999 News

15 December 1999
Industry Welcomes Government Pledge to Toughen Law Against Pirates and Bootleggers
The UK's creative industries and leading brand manufacturers are today celebrating the latest - and so far most significant - move in their battle against the theft of ideas. The Department of Trade and Industry has announced it is opening consultation on copyright and trade mark infringement, with a view to introducing legislation in the near future.

15 November 1999
Alliance Encouraged by Peers to Launch their Private Member's Bill Early
Lord McNally (Liberal Democrat Life Peer) held a successful briefing for interested parliamentarians in the House of Lords on Wednesday 10th November to explain the contents and aims of the Private Member's Bill which he is sponsoring on behalf of the Alliance Against Counterfeiting & Piracy.

27 October 1999
Peer Launches Anti-Piracy Offensive
Liberal Democrat Peer Lord McNally has today announced plans to bring legislation to Parliament to strengthen the law on counterfeiting, copyright and trade mark theft, as part of a campaign to fight organised crime worth over £6 billion a year.

08 July 1999
New Cross Industry Alliance Calls for Government to Combat Counterfeiting and Piracy
The music, audio-visual, retail, brand manufacturing, and business and games software industries joined forces today to provide, for the first time, a single voice in the battle to combat counterfeiting and piracy.

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