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Stefano Betti - Senior Policy AdvisorAlexandra Iliopoulou - Policy & Legal Advisor
WCO – OECD REGIONAL POLICY DIALOGUE7-8 November 2016
Brusselsv
Increasing the effectiveness
of prosecution and penalties
“MORE SEVERE PENALTIES WILL PROVIDE A HIGHER DETERRENT AGAINST IP CRIME/ ILLICIT TRADE”
TRUE ?
• Is prosecution in the “public interest” ?
• Making choices at times of budgetary constraints
• Offering reduced penalties may be key
Prosecutorial discretion
Judges' room for manoeuvre• Minimum and maximum applicable
penalties (civil law systems)• Sentencing guidelines (common
law systems)• The role of the jurisprudence• Case study on IP crime and
extradition: dual criminality
• Early release or parole
• Life behind bars is not the same for everybody
The penitentiary regime
“What bothers us most is when they take the money out of our pokets. One prefers to stay in jail with the money rather being free without money. This is what counts most.”
Gaspare Mutolo, heard by the Italian Anti-mafia Parliamentary Committee, February 1993
UNICRI / ICC-BASCAP
REPORTConfiscation of the
Proceeds of IP Crime:a modern tool for
deterring counterfeiting and piracy
• Deter criminality by affecting the balance of risk and reward.
• Disrupt and prevent funding of further IP and other forms of crime.
• Re-use the confiscated proceeds for crime prevention initiatives.
How POC laws tackle IP crime
Analysis of model provisions of effective POC legislation
Country case studies1. The UK Proceeds of Crime Act2. Unexplained wealth laws in Australia3. The Italian anti-mafia legislation4. POC legislation in Switzerland
Covers the process of identifying, tracing, freezing or seizing, confiscating, and returning proceeds of crime to its victims, enforcement agencies, or the State.
1. Legal framework 2. Institutional framework 3. International cooperation
Inventory of key legislative provisions and best practices
• Non-conviction based confiscation regime.• Reversal burden of proof as to the origin of
the property. • Extended powers of confiscation (extended
confiscation).• Allow confiscation of assets transferred to
third parties (third-party confiscation).
Legal framework to effectively implement POC legislation
• Strengthen the institutional structure of law enforcement.
• Improve the knowledge and expertise of investigators and prosecutors.
• Promote and improve cooperation between police forces and prosecutorial investigators.
Institutional framework to effectively administer POC legislation
• Establish appropriate mechanisms to facilitate mutual legal assistance in response to request by foreign States.
• Improve collaboration with foreign counterparts through appropriate law enforcement agencies and international bodies.
International cooperation mechanisms
“ FOR EVERY COMPLEX PROBLEM THERE IS AN ANSWER THAT IS CLEAR, SIMPLE AND WRONG ”
H.L. Mencken
• Creating deterrence is a multi-faceted effort• Higher penalties in legislation is one element• Look at the broader criminal justice system• Proceeds of crime legislation• Mindsets and preconceptions may render
criminal sanctions ineffective
Some concluding tips
Stefano BettiSenior Policy Advisor
Alexandra IliopoulouPolicy and Legal Advisor