19/07/2017 (Agence Europe) – In a press release published on Tuesday 18 July, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) called on the member states to take action and implement a harmonised European regulatory framework as a means of tackling counterfeit goods more effectively. The EESC points out that 5% of products imported into Europe are counterfeit or pirated, which leads to job losses of around 800,000 and lost revenues of €14.3 billion for the member states. In an opinion adopted in July, the EESC calls for a new European framework for 2018-2021, which includes an action plan for strengthening anti-counterfeit legislation, particularly with regard to e-commerce, traceability and bilateral and international agreements. The organisation is proposing to organise a European Day on fake products as well as the creation of a dedicated telephone line. For the link to the report please see: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.ccmi-opinions.43887. (PH)