Press Release – Wednesday 28th October 2015

European Commission Customs Report on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) enforcement at EU borders

The UK Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG), which represents companies with over 2,700 international brands, welcomes this most recent report by the European Commission on EU Customs’ action to enforce IPR rights at EU borders in 2014.

ACG is pleased to see that the number of cases being dealt with by EU customs authorities has increased from 86,854 in 2013 to over 95,000 in 2014. However, while the number of articles actually detained is in line with last year’s reported figures, the results are in sharp contrast to the volume of EU wide detentions made between 2008 and 2011, when well over 100,000 products were seized at the borders. In addition, the number of seizures made in the UK has fallen by 33% from over 3.3 million to 2.2 millionproducts.This dramatic reduction is of real concern in view of the fact that the overall percentage of potentially dangerous fake products,such as food, medicines, electrical household goods and toysgrew by over 3% compared to 2013.

Therecurringdowntrend in the overall number of customs’ detentions in the last three years is also being brought into more focus by recent reports[1] published by the European Observatory on infringements of Intellectual Property Rights[2] (the Observatory) which clearly reveal the importance of Intellectual Property (IP) in society today and the consequences of IP infringements (counterfeiting and piracy).

In addition, institutions such as Europol[3], Interpol[4], UNICRI[5], UNDOC [6]and the World Customs Organisation have all acknowledged the links between counterfeiting and organised crime and that massive profits from fake products are being channelled into areas such as the trafficking of drugs and human beings and related financial crimes, such as money laundering and corruption.

Alison Statham, ACG Director of Operationssaid, “the volume of counterfeit goods being sold and distributed in the UK has reached unacceptable levels. ACG exists to represent the voice of business in shaping an effective deterrence to counterfeiting. Our aim is to help build safer communities, whichallow UK businesses to flourish. As such we call on Government to reassess its strategy and give customs the necessary resources to tackle what is now an insidious and organised trans-national criminal activity.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

The Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG) is a not for profit trade association which represents rights holders in the branded goods sectors (see our website for more information). It is a unique forum for stakeholders in the anti-counterfeiting field to collaborate and support each other – from brand owners through specialist service providers to the law enforcement agencies which are responsible for enforcing the criminal provisions of the Trade Marks Act 1994.

For further information please email

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