Special 301: Comment on IACC Submission

UNCLAS ANKARA 001085 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EB/TPP/MTA/IPE - SWILSON/JURBAN AND EUR/SE DEPT PASS USTR FOR JCHOE-GROVES DEPT PASS LIBRARY OF CONGRESS FOR STEPP DEPT PASS USPTO FOR JURBAN AND EWU USDOC FOR ITA/MAC/DDEFALCO AND JBOGER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETRD KIPR TU SUBJECT: Special 301: Comment on IACC Submission NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION REF: 3/1/05 Sirotic/Urban Email ¶1. Based on input from the automotive industry, the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition's (IACC) Special 301 Recommendation on Turkey alleges that the Turkish Customs Undersecretariat requires industry to pay USD 20,000 to provide anti-counterfeit training. Moreover, the IACC requests that the USG engage the GOT to eliminate this payment and investigate alleged corrupt practices. However, it appears that the allegation is incorrect. ¶2. After the recommendation had been posted to the IACC website, Pfizer contacted Embassy FCS and Econ sections to dispute the allegation, and put us in touch with Garlin International, a private company. Garlin, with the help of the Foreign Investors Association (Turkish acronym YASED),had organized a seminar for customs officials on anti-counterfeiting issues in September ¶2004. Pfizer participated in that seminar, and reports that it is satisfied with Customs anti-counterfeiting efforts. Garlin told Econoff that it is organizing additional seminars for trademark owners in Turkey at a projected cost of USD 20,000. The entire fee is dedicated to accommodation, conference hall rental, and other administrative costs. None of this fee is provided to Turkish Customs. Garlin stated that General Motors Europe had balked at the cost of participating in the seminar and that this was likely the source of the misinformation. Garlin has communicated this to GM as well as IACC in a February 17 letter (ref email). ¶3. Embassy also plans to discuss the IACC recommendation with Turkish Customs in the near future. We request that Washington agencies take Garlin International's information into account in considering Turkey's Special 301 status for 2005. Edelman