Brussels, 25/01/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 24 January 2013, the European Parliament's internal market and consumer protection committee approved, by 33 votes to 3, an agreement with the EU Council of Ministers on a new regulation to give EU customs officers more effective powers from 1 January 2014 to confiscate, store and destroy counterfeit goods imported into the EU for commercial ends (non-commercial counterfeit goods found in travellers' luggage are excluded). The regulation includes a simplified procedure for the destruction of goods if the holders of intellectual property rights and importers do not disagree. Provision is made for a special procedure for faster destruction of small parcels (up to 3 kg in weight) if importers do not object within ten days. The destruction costs will be charged to the holder of the intellectual property rights, who can take legal action against intermediaries (though consumers acting in good faith cannot be held responsible). Medicines in transit can be delayed or confiscated only if there is a strong likelihood that they will be sold in the EU. The EP will be called upon to endorse the regulation in second reading in plenary session but will not be able to amend it once it has been approved by the Council. On Wednesday, the same committee endorsed, by 34 votes to 1, a legislative resolution amending the Customs 2020 programme to give more uniform support to member states for the purchase of IT and technical equipment, such as scanners, to tackle fraud. It also gives rapporteur (Raffaele Baldassarre, EPP, Italy) a negotiating mandate for agreement with the Council of Ministers in first reading. (FG/transl.fl)