Collaboration and Innovation Take Center Stage at the 2016 Annual IACC Spring Conference
ORLANDO, Fla., May 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 2016 Annual IACC Spring Conference kicked off on Thursday, May 19th with more than 500 leaders in the anti-counterfeiting community in attendance. The importance of collaboration and innovation in the fight against counterfeiting was a key theme in the event's Opening Ceremony, which featured keynote speeches from a diverse lineup of high-profile speakers, including the U.S. Ambassador to the People's Republic of China, the Honorable Max Baucus, and Alibaba Group President, Michael Evans.
The International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC) and International Chamber of Commerce's Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP) organized the event, underscoring the organizations' common commitment to engaging others to help combat fakes.
According to the IACC, there is no single approach to fighting counterfeiting. "The IACC is striving to create more opportunities for our members in the global market – platforms and vendors, large corporations and small businesses, credit card companies and law enforcement," said IACC President Bob Barchiesi. "Our approach is to seize opportunities, capitalize on our strengths, and develop effective strategies to fight counterfeiting and piracy."
Echoing the need for greater collaboration between industries was Mr. Evans, who discussed the necessity of inclusion and enhanced lines of communication. "As the global leader in e-commerce, we have both the responsibility and the commitment to be the global leader in anti-counterfeiting. We are 100% committed to fighting this battle. We see no path to success other than working closely with you, the brands," said Mr. Evans.
The evolving nature of counterfeiting and the need for brands to innovate were also noted at the ceremony. "Business can be the solution, if we're willing to work together and challenge the status quo," said Jeff Hardy, Director of BASCAP. During the Opening Ceremony, BASCAP also announced the results of its new study "BASCAP Best Practices for Removing Fakes from Online Platforms." The study aimed to identify and eliminate vulnerabilities in the supply chain that enable the infiltration of counterfeit goods.
In addition to a holistic approach to combat counterfeiting, the speakers addressed the IACC's structural changes, rapid growth and ongoing commitment to producing results for its members. "We are a coalition that gets things done, and collaboration has been our approach since 1979," said Dawn Atlas, Board Chairman of IACC.
For more information about this year's conference, please visit http://www.iacc.org/conferences/spring-conference.
About IACC
The IACC (www.iacc.org) is a Washington, DC-based not for profit organization representing the interests of companies concerned with trademark counterfeiting and the related theft of intellectual property. The members of the IACC include many of the world's best-known brands across all product sectors. The IACC has played a leading role in the development of cross-industry voluntary agreements, to address the illicit trafficking of counterfeit and pirated goods online, including its IACC MarketSafe and RogueBlock initiatives.
About BASCAP
The drain on businesses and the global economy from counterfeit goods and piracy of intellectual property is of great concern to ICC member companies worldwide. Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP) is an ICC initiative that unites the global business community across all product sectors to address issues associated with intellectual property theft and to petition for greater commitments by local, national and international officials in the enforcement and protection of intellectual property rights. Visit: www.iccwbo.org/bascap
SOURCE International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition
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