Brussels, 25/02/2008 (Agence Europe) - In joint operations in a number of European and US airports in 2007, the European Commission and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agencies seized more than 360,000 counterfeit integrated circuits being passed off as goods from over 40 manufacturers. The European and US authorities want to build on this first operation to increase cooperation and strengthen intellectual property rights (IPR).
Counterfeiting affects ever more sophisticated sectors of activity, such as computer networks and air control and endangers not only consumers but also state security, said Dan Baldwin, assistant commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He said that goods seized in the United States had an import value of $600,000. Speaking on behalf of the European Commission, John Pulford said that the private sector had to be involved in these operations to help customs officers distinguish between the real and fake products. The seized products came mainly from China, but also from Taiwan and Hong Kong.
In June 2006, at the EU-US summit, both parties decided to launch a strategic operation against piracy and counterfeiting (see EUROPE 9216 and 9214). Apart from joint customs operations at borders, the strategy includes joint action in the countries of origin of the counterfeits, including putting in place teams of US and European diplomats and experts and increased cooperation with the private sector. (M.B.)