With the entry of new cities and the expansion of work in the municipalities already participating, the CNCP's Cidade Livre de Piratária Program strengthens its role in combating illegal trade in the country. With four participating capitals - São Paulo, Curitiba, Distrito Federal and Belo Horizonte - the expectation is to end 2012 with at least four other major cities in the country, a number that may be even greater, considering that this program should involve all the cities that will host the World Cup.

The year 2011 represented a major step forward in the consolidation of the Free City of Piracy Program, created by the National Council to Combat Piracy and Intellectual Property Offenses (CNCP) with the objective of intensifying the fight against piracy and other crimes against intellectual property. . The program, which is already implemented in São Paulo, Curitiba, Distrito Federal and Belo Horizonte, is managed by ETCO, which is in an advanced stage of talks with other capitals in the country.

The excellent results obtained by the countless operations carried out in the city of São Paulo, the first to join the program, demonstrate that the idea of ​​uniting the efforts of public institutions at the municipal, state and federal levels - which is at the heart of the program - is a of the most efficient ways to combat illegal trade.

From December 2010 until now, operations to combat illegal trade carried out by the São Paulo Security Office's Committee to Combat Piracy, Smuggling and Evasion have already resulted in the seizure of 36 million products, valued at 1,9 billion of reais. “To get an idea, with that amount it would be possible to build 200 municipal daycare centers in the city”, comments Edsom Ortega, secretary of the Security Office.

For Roberto Abdenur, chief executive of ETCO, “the pioneering spirit of São Paulo, the largest capital in the country, is undoubtedly an example and a stimulus for the intensification of actions in the participating cities and for the adhesion of more cities to the program ”.

An example that reached the capital of Minas Gerais. With the adhesion of the city of Belo Horizonte, in September 2011, the program obtained an important reinforcement. According to Mayor Marcio Lacerda, “Brazil needs to eliminate piracy, a crime that inhibits foreign investments in the country. In addition, combating this type of crime and other illegal activities needs cooperation between the Federal Government and governments states, city halls and society ”.

"We are very confident in the evolution of the program for the year 2012, because, in addition to Belo Horizonte's membership, we have practically already agreed on the tickets for three more important cities, which should be announced very soon", concludes Roberto Abdenur.