The National Working Group for IPR Protection will today publicize the country's Top 10 IPR Protection Events of 2006 as well as the 10 best cases of IPR protection at customs last year.

The announcements are just part of a series of events to boost nationwide awareness of intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, ahead of World Intellectual Property Day on April 26.

On Saturday morning, authorities across the country oversaw the destruction of more than 42 million smuggled, pirated or simply illegal books, newspapers, CDs, DVDs, software and other electronic media in a bid to crack down on counterfeiters.

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Coordinated events were held in 31 provinces and regions, including Beijing, Guangdong, Tianjin and Guangxi, sources with the General Administration of Press and Publication said.

On April 24, the Summit Forum on China's IPR Protection 2007 in Beijing is expected to attract more than 800 local senior officials and scholars on intellectual property, as well as representatives from international organizations including the World Intellectual Property Organization and World Trade Organization.

With the theme of IPR protection and enterprise competitiveness, the forum will embrace such topics as "the world's future competition is the competition of IPR" and "IPR protection is the urgent need for a country's development".

In addition, China's 4th IPR Protection Publicity Week, which runs from Friday until April 26, will comprise a host of activities and events designed to increase awareness of the need for intellectual property rights and also crack down on those who abuse them.

Eighteen ministries will join hands for a number of activities including a forum on the judicial protection of IPR, a forum on IPR protection in the information industry, and seminars between Chinese and foreign participants.

Other events include an IPR protection essay contest, an online survey on IPR protection to solicit public opinion, and a quiz between staff at IPR reporting and complaints centers.

In Beijing, the protection of the Olympic logo will be a key element of the campaign.

This year, China is making its biggest efforts yet to protect IPR from home and abroad.

The Action Plan on IPR Protection for 2007, released earlier this month, details 276 measures in 10 areas such as institutional building, publicity, training, international cooperation and services for right holders.

This year it will draft, formulate and revise 14 laws, regulations, rules and administrative measures on trademark, copyright, patent and customs protection, as well as seven judicial interpretations and guidelines.

Fourteen dedicated campaigns including Fight Piracy Every Day, a crackdown on pirated textbooks and teaching supplements are currently ongoing.

(China Daily 04/16/2007 page3)