By Nelson Vasconcelos, O Globo (Pirataria S / A) - 25/11/2004

The IRS is celebrating its recent actions on the border with Paraguay. Operation Cataratas, which has intensified the fight against piracy in that region since the beginning of the month, would have already managed to shake the sale of pirated cigarettes in some Brazilian cities. Hence the number of vehement protests on the border by Paraguayan traders.

The delegate of the Revenue in Foz do Iguaçu, José Carlos de Araújo, says that this year, 242 tourism buses have already been apprehended in the region? without tourists, but with a lot of changes, totaling R $ 67 million between January and October.

Among the products are vehicles, computers, toys and electronics. Only cigarette smugglers, for example, were charged R $ 1,5 million. The IRS estimates that, since the 8th, when Operation Cataratas began, there was an 80% reduction in cigarette smuggling. It is a powerful market: it is estimated to handle US $ 5 million daily. Dollars.

(Before anyone complains, let's remember that other agencies participate in the operation in Foz: Federal Police, Federal Highway Police, Military Police, National Land Transport Agency, Department of Roads and Roads and Anatel).

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Yesterday, the Federal Revenue Secretary, Jorge Rachid, was appointed a member of the National Council to Combat Piracy and Intellectual Property Offenses, created last October 14th. He will have (even more) work, but he has been very optimistic about fighting piracy.

? We are going to take another hundred pirate buses out of circulation by the end of the year. And have we taken 500 people out of the circuit? he says to the column. ? With our operation, there was even a drop in crime in the city. We want to raise healthy tourism in that region.

Optimism aside, there will be no problem. The resistance is strong, as we saw in the following demonstrations at Ponte da Amizade, a name that is hardly relevant for the occasion, considering the hot climate that has mobilized troops from both countries.

Will the Council change anything?

? We have to see that Asian products are not adding anything positive, neither to Brazil nor to Paraguay. Therefore, the government and institutions need to organize. Is this the example we are setting with the operation in Paraná? says Rachid.

According to the secretary, the Council will also have an important role for the consumer.

? I believe that the Council demonstrates the government's purpose of working in an articulated manner, not only among its institutions, which has already been done effectively, but also with society. The Brazilian has to realize that piracy is a harmful issue, damaging to the economy. It is as the people of the Ethos Institute say: the only thing certain about piracy is unemployment.

An important issue, from now on, is to join forces in various sectors. Lack of technical personnel, for example, would not even be the secretary's greatest concern:

? I don't see that the problem is only effective. Right now, do we have to work not only with our workforce, but also with information and technology? says.

This means investment. In other words: it will take work.

FIQUE DE OLHO: Specialist in intellectual property, Henrique Gandelman is launching? What do you need to know about copyright? By Editora Senac Nacional. With questions and answers, it analyzes the general principles of the legislation, differences between trademarks, registrations and patents, and the main international treaties that regulate the matter. Also on the agenda are subjects such as protection of advertising creations, web design, audiovisual, photographic works and authorized copies.