THE USPTO GIPA PROGRAM ON ENFORCEMENT OF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 170202 SIPDIS SIPDIS COMMERCE PASS USPTO FOR BARBARA MCCAFFREY POSTS FOR FCS OFFICERS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD AORC ASEC KIPR OTRA SUBJECT: THE USPTO GIPA PROGRAM ON ENFORCEMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS (IPR) 18-21 MAR 2008 ¶1. SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST. The USPTO will hold a March 2008 Global IP Academy program from 18 - 21 March 2008 at USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C. This program will cover all aspects of patent, trademark, and copyright enforcement. Posts are requested to inform host government officials of this program (see PARA 2) and are invited to nominate participants (see PARA 6). Nominations of participants are due no later than Monday, 14 January 2008. ¶2. Action Request: Posts are requested to send invitations and communications about the program to the heads of intellectual property offices or other relevant government offices in country for this training opportunity. Posts are requested to nominate candidates for the program by Monday, 14 January 2008. See PARA 5 for eligible participants, PARA 6 for nomination process and PARA 10 for contact information. Posts will be the sole liaison with nominees. Posts may emphasize: ¶A. GIPA programs are the USG's most thorough introduction to the U.S. IP legal system and international IP standards. The information provided through the program is fairly technical and is geared to government officials in national IP offices. ¶B. Participants must be officials of intellectual property offices of their respective governments, or of the agencies of their governments that are responsible for patent, trademark, copyright of enforcement matters. Additionally, for this program, participants' particular responsibilities should include intellectual property enforcement, including border enforcement, since this will be the focus of this program (See PARA 5.). ¶C. Officials from countries whose TRIPS obligations were due by January 1, 2000, are particularly encouraged to attend. ¶3. The Program: The Global Intellectual Property Academy provides intellectual property (IP) training to leaders of industrial property offices, patent and trademark examiners, and other IP Experts as well as judges, prosecutors, and border enforcement officials who work on IPR enforcement. This program will include training on customs enforcement, civil enforcement, criminal prosecution of intellectual property violations, and adjudicating intellectual property cases. ¶4. VISA Issues: The Global Intellectual Property Academy is not a student exchange program and the USPTO will not issue DS 2019s. Training is contingent upon government officials applying for and receiving a visa in a timely manner. ¶5. Eligible Participants: Nominations of participants are due Monday, 14 January 2008. The program is offered in English with out interpretation/translation. Only government employees who have direct legal and/or policy responsibilities in the area of trademark, copyright or patent enforcement matters are eligible to be considered as participants. Training is contingent upon government officials applying for and receiving a visa in a timely manner. ¶6. Nomination Process: Posts are requested to nominate candidates for the program by Monday, 14 January 2008. The nominations must include the name and title of the candidate along with an English resume or curriculum vitae (CV) or short job description of the nominee's responsibilities. Nominations without a resume or CV will NOT be considered. The nominations should be submitted to the person listed in Para 10, and the subject line of the nominations documents should include the following EN2008MAR_17-21 (name of nominating country) Example: EN2008MAR_17-21 (MEXICO). This will assure that the nomination is processed for the correct program. ¶7. Acceptance Letters: Posts will be notified of the status of nominations the week of 21 January 2008 via email. Status notification will be sent electronically to POST. Post will be the sole liaison with nominees. Detailed Post instructions will be included with the nominee status notification. Registration forms are due back to the USPTO by COB 1 February 2008. Specific day- STATE 00170202 002 OF 002 by-day itinerary will be provided upon request and after the selection process is completed. Training is contingent upon government officials applying for and receiving a visa in a timely manner. ¶8. Financial Arrangements: Limited funding (authorized per diem, visa application fees and USA ground transportation to and from the airport/hotel) is authorized for nominees on a case-by-case basis, and only upon request. All other expenses are the responsibility of the sponsor or traveler. Nominees, post or sponsors are requested to provide round trip airfare to/from the USA. Fund cites will be distributed, via cable, authorizing expenses for funded nominees after the USPTO pre-approves the expenses to be charged. Please send the estimated charges for pre-approval by email to BARBARA.MCCAFFREY@USPTO.GOV OR FAX to 571-273-0166. Funding is not guaranteed. Posts are responsible for arranging and providing authorized expenses for funded nominees. ¶9. Travel and Accommodations: Hotel information will be provided with the Post instructions. All funded travel must be arranged in accordance to the Federal Travel Regulations. No exceptions. USPTO will secure hotel reservations for all nominees; however, self-funded participants must guarantee their hotel reservations. Post and host governments are responsible for travel and related expenses for officials from countries not eligible for funding. ¶10. USPTO Contact: Please submit all nominations to Barbara McCaffrey, Director Operations, Global Intellectual Property Academy at Barbara.Mccaffrey@uspto.gov or call 571 272 8694 or fax 571 273 0166. All questions/communications with USPTO must include in the subject line EN2008MAR_17-21 (name of nominating country) Example: EN2008MAR_17-21 (MEXICO) ¶11. Posts' assistance with this program is greatly appreciated. RICE