The National Intellectual Property Law Enforcement Coordinating Council (NIPLECC), created by Congress in 1999, is an interagency group responsible for coordinating domestic and international IP protection efforts across federal government agencies. Led by the U.S. Coordinator for International Intellectual Property Enforcement, NIPLECC is comprised of the following members: the Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the Assistant Attorney General (Criminal Division), the Undersecretary of State for Economics, Business and Agricultural Affairs, the Deputy United States Trade Representative, the Commissioner of Customs, and the Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade. The U.S. Copyright Office has an advisory role in NIPLECC.