NAMM and Intellectual Property Rights

Intellectual Property Policy Statement
 

As a global leader in the music products industry, NAMM supports the protection of intellectual property rights. These rights are an important foundation of our industry, providing creators and innovators with necessary benefits of their creativity. These rights come in various legal forms, such as copyrights, trademarks, patents, trade secrets and other inherent authorship rights recognized in many countries. NAMM urges its Members to develop protection and enforcement programs for their creative endeavors in consultation with an attorney experienced in the field of intellectual property rights.

NAMM's POSITION: NAMM condemns counterfeiting and infringement; however, as a neutral trade group, NAMM cannot get involved in member/exhibitor disputes or provide legal advice.
NAMM is committed to the principle that intellectual property rights are to be respected, and that the use of intellectual property rights without the consent of the owner or otherwise pursuant to law violates rights of authors, inventors, and corporations. Copyrights, trademarks, patents, and other forms of intellectual property are protected by state and federal laws in the United States and by the laws of other countries. At NAMM, we believe that inventors, manufacturers, publishers, and other creators and owners of intellectual property are entitled to protect their rights in accordance with the law.

What Should You Do?
It is the responsibility of the creators or owners of intellectual property rights to take the necessary actions to ensure protection of their rights consistent with their business goals. NAMM encourages intellectual property owners to develop a protection program, which might involve filing applications with requisite governmental bodies in the U.S. and/or other countries. In some instances (for example, situations involving counterfeiting or infringement), the filing of such applications can be a prerequisite to enforcing intellectual property rights. For example, to protect a brand, registering a trademark can be helpful, or in some countries necessary. As another example, procuring a patent on an invention is necessary in order to combat copying of the invention. NAMM does not provide intellectual property protection or planning services, nor do we mediate disputes among our Members as a neutral trade group, but we can provide our Members with resources that may assist in protecting IP rights.

NAMM will not be able to initiate legal actions on behalf of our Members (or other industry participants) or to enforce their rights against infringers. We will not be able to judge claims of ownership or infringement that arise at the trade show. Of course, NAMM will respect lawful court orders and injunctions, as well as instructions from law enforcement officers. We urge Members to consult with legal counsel qualified to advise on these subjects.

If you have further questions regarding NAMM's Intellectual Property Rights policies, please contact us at
info@namm.org.

This NAMM Policy Statement is effective September 1, 2006. It is subject to change, interpretation, and withdrawal with or without notice. This Statement does not create any new obligations or burdens upon NAMM, and is provided only as an informational statement to NAMM members and interested third parties. NAMM's IPR materials are proprietary products of NAMM and must be referenced in their entirety. Please do not copy or distribute portions of the document that dilute the context of the complete document intent.