Violations of intellectual property rights are rampant in the countries that comprised the former Soviet Union. Infringers and counterfeiters cost businesses and governments billions of dollars each year. Some major companies report that as much as 50 percent of their world-famous trademarks, brands and products in the region are fakes. IPR violations are a key issue in bilateral trade relations between the European Union, the U.S. and virtually every country of the former Soviet Union.

Surveys of companies doing business in the region prove that businesses and governments must work as partners to achieve effective intellectual property rights protection. That's the mission — and the guiding principle — of the Coalition for Intellectual Property Rights (CIPR).

CIPR is a private-public partnership dedicated to advancing intellectual property rights protection, enforcement and reform in Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic States and other countries of the former Soviet Union. Through public education, legislative action and legal reform, CIPR works with our government and private sector partners to establish transparent IPR regimes that adhere to international standards.

CIPR's Corporate Members include some of the world's most famous trademark, patent and brand owners. Our Associate Members are major international and regional business and professional groups. We enjoy active support from state Patent and Trademark Offices throughout the region and cooperate with the World Intellectual Property Organization, INTERPOL, the World Customs Organization and the International Anti Counterfeiting Coalition, among others. CIPR is the only NGO formally accredited with the CIS Interstate Council on Industrial Property Protection.

CIPR is governed by an Executive Policy Committee that is currently comprised of Diageo, plc, General Electric Company, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Intel Corporation and Nokia Corporation. Lucy Nichols, Global Director of IPR, Brand Protection, Nokia Corporation is the Chairperson of CIPR’s Executive Policy Committee. The international law firms of Baker & McKenzie and Fross Zelnick Lehrman & Zissu are CIPR's legal co-counsels.

CIPR has its administrative headquarters in Washington, D.C. and is incorporated as a 501(C-6) Business League under the laws of the United States. CIPR's experienced staff operate throughout the region from offices in Moscow, Almaty, Chisinau, Kyiv, Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius as well as London and Washington, D.C.