By Murilo Camarotto, Gazeta Mercantil - 29/06/2005

São Paulo, 29/2005/XNUMX - Seven companies in the computer and consumer electronics sector yesterday announced the creation of the Brasil Legal Institute (IBL), which will work to combat smuggling and piracy practices in the sector. The president of the new entity will be the lawyer Edson Vismona, a specialist in business law and a former Justice Secretary of the Mário Covas government.

Intel, AMD, Microsoft, Panasonic, Phillips, Dell and Semp Toshiba, companies associated with IBL, decided to unite against predatory practices. According to Vismona, every year the country fails to raise R $ 96 billion in counterfeiting and contraband. IBL's job will be to identify illegal practices, gather information collected by the commercial areas of these seven companies and take it to the authorities. Vismona stated that there is a possibility that the institute will enter into agreements with the IRS.

China

China has arrested 2,6 people since the beginning of this year for violating intellectual property laws and has dismantled 2.960 pirated product printing centers, according to official figures.