EU industry ministers agreed to plans for a European piracy observatory to stem fakes and copies ravaging the movie and music industry in Brussels on Friday.

 

The moves coincide with EU trade chief Peter Mandelson's warning to Bejing that government apathy to curbing piracy has triggered sliding European investment rates in China.

The observatory aims to:

• analyze counterfeiting and piracy to give policymakers a better understanding of piracy and copies.
• make crucial data available to government officials and businesses dealing with piracy
• to boost cooperation between national enforcement agencies
• launch public awareness campaigns
• develop new anti-counterfeiting technologies for customs authorities.

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