TOKYO (AP) - The Group of Eight nations are expected to agree at their annual summit in Germany next week to develop an international information network for their customs authorities to fight against pirated and counterfeit products, Japanese government sources said Thursday.
The network would allow customs offices in the G-8 countries to exchange information via the Internet on pirated and counterfeit goods and their producers to help block them at the offices.
The G-8 nations will also agree to create guidelines for enhancing customs control, develop laws and human resources for protection of intellectual property (IP) rights in developing countries, and cooperate with manufacturers and traders in finding pirated goods.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will call for creating an international convention for protection of IP rights to help eliminate pirated and counterfeit goods, the sources said.
As well as Abe, top leaders from Germany, the U.S., Canada, Britain, France, Italy and Russia will take part in the three-day G-8 summit from next Wednesday in the Baltic resort of Heiligendamm.
The G-8 nations will set up a framework for their economic talks with five emerging market countries where many pirated and counterfeit goods are sold - China, India, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa, sources said.
The framework is designed for promotion of the G-8 nations' cooperation with the emerging economies in fighting against pirated and counterfeit goods.
