The Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs, International Customs Division, New Delhi, received an invitation from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Intellectual Property Crimes Enforcement Network (IPCEN). This invitation carries significant importance in the global fight against intellectual property crimes. This article provides insights into the invitation and its implications.
Detailed Analysis
IPCEN: An Overview
The IPCEN, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Intellectual Property Crimes Enforcement Network, is a vital international forum for combating intellectual property crimes. It brings together key law enforcement and industry officials from numerous Asian nations to strengthen international cooperation in addressing large-scale intellectual property crimes.
Seventh IPCEN Meeting
The invitation pertains to the seventh meeting of the IPCEN, scheduled to be held from November 14-16, 2023, in Bangkok, Thailand. This event serves as a platform for sharing successful investigation and prosecution strategies related to intellectual property crimes.
Key Objectives
The IPCEN has two primary objectives:
- Sharing Best Practices: The network facilitates the exchange of successful investigation and prosecution strategies for countering domestic counterfeiting, copyright violations, trade secrets crimes, and more. Law enforcement experts share their insights to combat various forms of intellectual property crimes.
- Strengthening Multinational Cooperation: IPCEN strengthens communication channels to promote coordinated, multinational prosecutions of serious offenders. It emphasizes the importance of cooperation between victims and law enforcement authorities.
U.S. Government Support
The U.S. Department of Justice, through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, extends support to participants. The support includes coverage for economy-class airline tickets, ground transportation, accommodation, meals, and other expenses during the workshop.
Nomination Process
CBIC (Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs) is invited to nominate up to three candidates to participate in this program. The participants should hold positions of Additional/Joint Commissioner or Deputy/Assistant Commissioner. The nominees must align with the program’s objectives.
Conclusion
The invitation extended by the U.S. Department of Justice’s IPCEN to CBIC holds significance in the global fight against intellectual property crimes. It offers a valuable opportunity for law enforcement officials to share best practices, enhance cooperation, and collectively combat intellectual property offenses. CBIC’s participation in this event will contribute to strengthening international efforts to protect intellectual property rights.
For further details and nomination processes, CBIC has been requested to respond promptly, ensuring the full utilization of this opportunity to combat intellectual property crimes effectively.
This invitation represents a collaborative step towards a more secure and innovative global environment.
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F.No. 15021/134/2023-ICD-CBEC
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Revenue
Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs
International Customs Division
*****
New Delhi, 20 September, 2023
To,
1. Principal Chief Commissioners/ Chief Commissioners of Customs (Preventive)
2. Principal Chief Commissioners/ Chief Commissioners of Customs
Ma’am/Sir,
Sub: Nomination in respect of U.S. Department of Justice’s Intellectual Property Crimes Enforcement Network (IPCEN): Invitation for CBIC-regarding.
Please find attached Invitation letter from U.S Intellectual Property Counsellor for South Asia, Embassy of the United States of America-New Delhi, The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on the subject above.
2. In this regard, it is requested to kindly nominate one officer from your formation. of the level of Additional/ Joint Commissioner or Deputy/Assistant Commissioner to participate in the said programme. It is requested that the CV of the officer, reflecting alignment with the objectives of the said programme, may be forwarded along with the nomination.
3. It is requested to forward the nomination directly to ICD, CBIC, not later than COB 21st September, 2023 for further necessary action at this end please.
4. This may be treated as MOST URGENT.
Yours sincerely,
(Neetisha Verma)
Senior Technical Officer (ICD)
Tel No. (+91) 11 2309 4610
e-mail: icdsto-cbec@gov.in
Office of The Commissioner Investigation Customs
U.S. Department of Justice’s Intellectual Property Crimes Enforcement Network (IPCEN): Invitation for CBIC – India
From : Tarini Tiwari <Tarini.Tiwari@trade.gov>
Mon, Sep 18, 2023 04:34 PM
3 attachments
Subject : U.S. Department of Justice’s Intellectual Property Crimes Enforcement Network (IPCEN): Invitation for CBIC India
To : MEMBER CM CBIC <memberinv.cbic@gov.in>
Cc : Office of The Commissioner Investigation Customs <inv-customs@gov.in>, John Cabeca
<John.Cabeca@trade.gov>, Thamizhvalavan M G
<mgt.valavan@nic.in>, Praful Genesh Gajbhiye
<prafulgg.c041001@gov.in>, Jason C Gooding
<Jason.C.Gooding@ice.dhs.gov>, Alka Saxena
<Alka.Saxena@associates.ice.dhs.gov>, Dinesh Sharma
<Dinesh.Sharma@trade.gov>
Respected Mr. Sanjay Kumar Agarwal,
Greetings from the USPTO South Asia office!
It is our pleasure to invite your office to join the seventh meeting of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Intellectual Property Crimes Enforcement Network (IPCEN) to be held during November 14-16, 2023, in Bangkok, Thailand. Please see the attached invitation for your kind consideration and action.
Per the attached, we request all nominations along with the completed attached form and copies of the passport bio pages with English translations sent to our office by September 25 2023.
We look forward to receiving your kind response.
Thank You,
Warmly,
Tarini Tiwari
The Office of South Asia I US Patent & Trademark Office
Foreign Commercial Service I Embassy of the United States of America I New Delhi
Tel: 91-11-2347-2000 I Mobile: 91-70424 88867
UNITED STATES
PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
USPTO IP Counselor Letter – CBIC.pdf
761 KB
INVESTc.xlsx
44 KB
UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
Embassy of the United States of America
American Center, Connaught Place
24, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi, India 110001
September 15, 2023
Mr. Sanjay Kumar Agrawal
Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC)
Department of Revenue (Ministry of Finance)
Government of India
Dear Mr. Agrawal,
On behalf of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), I am delighted to extend an invitation to up to three (3) candidates of your choosing from CBIC to participate in the seventh meeting of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Intellectual Property Crimes Enforcement Network (IPCEN) to be held November 14-16, 2023, in Bangkok, Thailand. As a mere suggestion to ensure a broad cross section of your office’s participation, perhaps Mr. Suhrud Avinash Rabde, (Assistant Director, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence), Mr. Harish Kumar Vashistha, (Commissioner, Investigation – Customs) and Mr. Manish Thapliyal (Additional Director, National Customs Targeting Center), or other designees as you see fit will be able to participate in the program.
This will be the seventh meeting of the IPCEN — that brings together key law enforcement and industry officials from more than a dozen Asian nations with the goal of strengthening international cooperation in fighting large-scale intellectual property crimes. The IPCEN was established in 2007 under the leadership of the Bangkok-based Intellectual Property Law Enforcement Coordinator (IPLEC) for Asia (now referred to as International Computer Hacking and IP Attorney Advisor or “ICHIP”). The Bangkok-based ICHIP and Hong Kong-based ICHIP are both part of the U.S. Transnational and High-Tech Crime Global Law Enforcement Network (GLEN), which is funded primarily by U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Global Programs and Policy (INL/GPP), who partners with DOJ in its management. The GLEN includes not just twelve ICHIPs, but also cyber forensic analysts, and federal law enforcement, as part of a global capacity building effort focused on IP and cyber-criminal activity, as well as the gathering and use of electronic evidence to combat all types of crime. Under the GLEN umbrella, the IPCEN serves two primary functions:
1. The network facilitates the exchange of successful investigation and prosecution strategies in combating domestic counterfeiting, copyright, and trade secrets crimes. Panels of law enforcement experts will share best practices and lessons learned in addressing retail and online counterfeiting and piracy, mass production and distribution of counterfeit goods, criminal copyright offenses, trade secret violations, and border enforcement strategies.
2. The IPCEN strengthens communications channels to promote coordinated, multinational prosecutions of the most serious offenders. Recognizing that effective prosecution of IP crime depends heavily on cooperation between victims and law enforcement authorities, industry representatives also will address the conference regarding the scope and severity of counterfeiting and digital piracy crimes in Asia and discuss ways to collectively enhance enforcement efforts.
The Department of Justice, through the USPTO at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi will cover the purchase of economy-class airline tickets from India to Bangkok, ground transportation to and from the airport, accommodation, and meals throughout the duration of the workshop, and the cost of incidentals and any meals that are not already provided for during the course of the program. Participants should arrive on November 13 and depart on November 17. The USPTO, South Asia Office, will gladly assist with coordinating travel arrangements.
We hope that you will benefit from this workshop and look forward to your participation. Alternatively, if you have recently participated in a U.S. government sponsored program, we would welcome the participation of another nominee from your esteemed organization as you see fit.
Your point of contact for this program will be Tarini Tiwari. Please provide nominee’s full name, duty title, cell phone number, email address and a copy of the passport bio-data page at tarini.tiwari@trade.gov no later than September 25, 2023.
Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need any additional information.
Sincerely,
John Cabeca
U.S. Intellectual Property Counselor for South Asia
Embassy of the United States of America — New Delhi
United States Patent and Trademark Office
