An upcoming conference will bring together international leaders in the fields of law enforcement, intellectual property and politics to work toward an international strategy designed to promote respect for intellectual property.

The Sixth Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy will provide a forum for discussion of a wide range of intellectual property-related issues and will focus on promoting intellectual property rights in a way that highlights intellectual property strategy for sustainable development.

Among other issues, the conference is expected to discuss the role corporations can play in nurturing respect for intellectual property. For many businesses, effective intellectual property management systems are crucial in encouraging responsible corporate behavior that works to advance both profitability and sustainable development through appropriate management of intellectual assets.

The conference will be held in Paris on February 2 and will be attended by World Intellectual Property Organization director general Francis Gurry, INTERPOL chief Ronald Noble, World Customs Organization head Kunio Mikuria and several political leaders.

The Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy has met regularly since 2004. The last forum was held in 2009 in Mexico and brought together more than 800 delegates from 80 countries.