Our world is increasingly dependent on digital communications and, whether you talk economy or culture, you can simply not avoid the Internet issue. Internet is an immense opportunity: a border-free universe, abolishing geographical limits, unleashing imagination, connecting people and giving rise to new ways of creating and inventing. However, it is also a complex territory, where users have to be more informed, aware of dangers and able to consider information with a critical eye.

“What do I buy? Who drafted, crafted or made this, is selling or giving access to this? Is it a real or a fake? Is it legal or illegal? Is it dangerous for me, my health, my computer?” are the basic questions to ask yourself when you want to get something, even a simple information or definition. And beyond that: what shall I make available, who gets my data, how is it used, will it be kept, where and by whom?

Of course, it is the responsibility of Nations to take appropriate measures to avoid major harm to their citizens, economies or cultural heritage.

Counterfeiting and piracy are amongst the problems that States and companies have to deal with.

They are a reality: fake drugs are the most obvious threat to patients’ health, fake auto or airplane parts a classical frightening example, but stealing works protected by a copyright does affect the sustainability of artistic creation and buying fake watches or sunglasses not only ruins the brand image of the company copied but also will impair other companies’ capacity to sell this type of product on other market segments.

It is therefore a common goal, shared by a number of countries, but also by different stake holders – companies or individuals, creators or users, from high-tech sector to creators – to find appropriate ways to address this plague. The discussion is therefore not so much on the principle of fighting counterfeiting and piracy than on how to proceed. When it comes to procedures, remedies or tools, then the debate heats up and no real way out has been found so far.

This Executive Briefing will look into this complex issue with an open mind, avoiding sterile oppositions. It will try to build on past experiences (failures or successes) and chart a course for the future of creation and innovation in the digital world, if possible with brand-new eyes.