VZCZCXRO4432
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHPG #0399 1031624
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 131624Z APR 07
FM AMEMBASSY PRAGUE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8890
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC

UNCLAS PRAGUE 000399 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/NCE EFICHTE AND EB/IPE JBOGER 
STATE PASS USTR FOR JCHOE-GROVES AND WMOORE 
COMMERCE FOR 4232/ITA/MAC/MROGERS 
COMMERCE PASS USPTO 
STATE PASS LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KIPR ETRD ECON EZ
SUBJECT: CZECH REPUBLIC: PROGRESS ON IPR ACTION PLAN 
 
REF: A. PRAGUE 323 
 
     ¶B. PRAGUE 293 
     ¶C. PRAGUE 274 
     ¶D. PRAGUE 244 
     ¶E. PRAGUE 160 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: A/DCM and econoffs met April 13 with Deputy 
Minister of Industry and Trade Martin Tlapa and his IPR team 
to follow-up on the Ambassador's IPR discussions with 
Minister of Industry and Trade (ref B) and the DCM's letter 
to Tlapa urging a government action plan to combat piracy. 
Tlapa said that since returning from his early March trip to 
Washington, he has consulted with the interagency IPR 
committee and confirmed that there is a strong will to tackle 
IPR problems at the border markets.  The interagency 
committee will reconvene in mid-May to develop an IPR action 
plan under the working theme of "a no tolerance policy" that 
focuses on stronger and binding enforcement measures.  The 
interagency committee is only advisory in nature, so any 
action plan will require formal government approval.  The 
committee plans to present the action plan for the Minister's 
approval by end-June and hopes the action plan will be 
presented to government for adoption in fall 2007.  While 
Tlapa was very forthcoming about his ministry's commitment 
and responsibilities to combat IPR violations, he explained 
that he needs to now spread that commitment across 
ministries.  He urged the USG to take an objective and 
"balanced" approach to assessing the IPR situation in the 
Czech Republic.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO) Deputy Minister 
Martin Tlapa told A/DCM that IPR protection is a top priority 
and committed to developing a Czech IPR action plan, calling 
it his "homework" for solving the piracy issue at the open 
air markets.  Since returning from his March trip to 
Washington, Tlapa has confirmed that all departments within 
MPO are committed to making IPR protection a top priority. 
He also convened on March 28 an interagency IPR committee 
(formed five years ago to address USG IPR concerns), which 
includes the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Justice, 
Ministry of the Interior, Customs, Czech Trade Inspection and 
MPO.  All affirmed that they see the need to respond to the 
current IPR problem as a "high priority." 
 
¶3. (SBU) The interagency IPR committee agreed that the focus 
must be on a higher standard of binding enforcements.  Tlapa 
said that current enforcement practices need to be more 
efficient to permanently alleviate IPR violations, noting 
that raids on market vendors selling pirated articles have 
not stopped them from re-selling pirated articles, often 
immediately after the police vacate the scene.  He explained 
that the interagency committee recommendations include: (1) a 
revised inspection regime with greater emphasis on vendor 
documentation and products; (2) amendments to the Consumer 
Protection Act and the Trades Licensing Act that would give 
inspectors the authority to make unannounced inspections of 
warehouses and other storage facilities without first 
acquiring a warrant; (3) removal of licensing exemptions for 
foreigners; (4) new rules for regulating open air markets, 
such as maintaining an accurate vendor registry. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The interagency committee will meet again in mid-May 
to establish an IPR action plan under the working title of a 
"no tolerance policy," which will be presented to Minister 
Riman for approval by end-June.  If approved, the interagency 
committee will move forward on coordination with other 
ministries during the summer and anticipates the IPR action 
plan to be submitted for GOCR approval by September.  Tlapa 
pledged transparency on his efforts to establish an effective 
IPR action plan and agreed to coordinate closely on its 
development and progress.  He also expressed interest in 
working more closely with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and 
U.S. industry groups as the action plan is fleshed out. 
GRABER