Confirmed by the Council - June 2009

Established : 2009

Duration : Until superseded or revoked

Chairperson : Representative of a WCO Member

Elections : Members of the Group shall elect the Chairperson for a one-year term

1. Mandate

The Group shall constitute a dialogue mechanism on border measures on trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy. In its discussions, the Group will respect the national legal regimes of Members, as well as their respective levels of commitments in international agreements, such as TRIPS, to which Members are party, and shall not engage in norm setting nor seek to make recommendations or adopt particular measures.

2. Membership

Membership will be open to all WCO Members.

3. Purpose and Scope

Within the framework of its mandate, the purpose and scope of the Group are limited to an exchange and discussion of views, experiences, practices and initiatives of Customs administrations and discussions on WCO Capacity Building activities for Members requesting assistance.

4. Key Deliverables

The Group will deliver a factual report to the Permanent Technical Committee after each session.

5. Means of Operation

• The Group will meet under the leadership of its Chairperson, with membership being determined as specified above.
• Observers may be invited to participate in open meetings; a balanced participation of stakeholders should be sought.
• The Group will hold its sessions as and when required, subject to approval by the Permanent Technical Committee.
• Except when otherwise decided by the Secretary General and/or the Permanent
  Technical Committee, the Group will normally meet twice a year.
• Normally, each session will last two days, depending on the number and complexity of items on the agenda.

6. Resources Required

The general administrative arrangements and provision of support services shall be the responsibility of the Secretariat.