NATIONAL: Fashion businesses keen to learn more about the proposed Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) can do so at upcoming information sessions.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will host sessions explaining the recently published text of the proposed agreement in Canberra on November 12, Sydney on November 18 and Melbourne on November 24.
The federal government's decision to host such sessions follows a breakthrough in ACTA negotiations. An extensive ten-day round of talks in Tokyo in late September and early October saw participants come close to reaching an agreement three years after ACTA talks first began.
Australian Minister for Trade Craig Emerson said the agreement would assist in protecting Australian brands.
“ACTA will create a more secure trading environment for Australia's creative and knowledge-intensive industries by ensuring copyright and trademarks are enforced in a number of important foreign markets,” Emerson said.
He asserted the ACTA would complement Australia's existing intellectual property laws and enforcement standards.
“ACTA reflects these laws and standards, which we now want to see adopted by other countries.
“ACTA is important because we are concerned at the scale and growth of the global trade in counterfeit and pirated goods.”
Other participants in ACTA negotiations include Canada, the European Union, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland and the United States.
Individuals or businesses keen to attend an ACTA information session can email ip@dfat.gov.au for further details.