Anti-counterfeiting trade accord likely to be signed in Sept.+

TOKYO, Aug. 23 Kyodo - An international treaty to crack down on counterfeit and pirated products is likely to be concluded at a vice-ministerial-level meeting of 11 parties in Tokyo next month, the trade ministry said Monday.

The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement is designed to create an international
framework to halt the distribution of counterfeit brand goods and pirated music
and film products.
Negotiators from the 11 parties -- Japan, the United States, the European
Union, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore,
Mexico and Morocco -- agreed in Washington Friday to wrap up negotiations in
Tokyo in late September, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and
Industry.
The agreement is expected to take effect in 2011 following the completion of
necessary domestic procedures in each signatory party.
Under the new framework, production and trade of labels for counterfeit goods
will be prohibited.
To make the accord effective, they will call on other countries to join the
framework, particularly targeting China and Russia where counterfeit products
are widely distributed.
==Kyodo