TACIS

Implementation of the TACIS IPR Protection Programme, focused initially on the Russian Federation and extended thereafter to Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, was awarded to GESAC in collaboration with AIDAA in 1995. Other organizations like AEPO/ARTIS and FERA also contributed to programme delivery by providing expertise. GESAC also enlisted the services of experts from different backgrounds and nationalities to assist it in its task: university academics, members of the national legal service, heads of collective management societies, lawyers, and so forth.

This was a 3-stage technical assistance programme (TACIS I, II, III) which ran until 2001. The budget for the TACIS IPR Programme was 5 700 000 euros.

The TACIS programme’s main objective was to improve intellectual property rights laws in these regions and promote the establishment of organized enforcement provision. The aim was to strengthen existing laws and structures in the field of copyright and related rights.

The measures taken under this programme included: 

• Analysis of existing national laws and drafting proposed amendments specifically designed to bring them in line with the Community Directives,
• Campaigns to raise authors, performers, producers and other stakeholders’ awareness of their intellectual property rights and how to enforce them,
• Combating piracy in particular by campaigns to raise awareness among the customs authorities and other stakeholders,
• Help in creating collective management societies for copyright and related rights, technical assistance and staff training for existing societies.