Brussels, 26/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 25 September, European competitiveness ministers adopted a resolution on a comprehensive plan to combat counterfeiting and piracy (see EUROPE 9742). Welcoming the unanimous adoption of the resolution, French Secretary of State for Trade, Crafts and SMEs Hervé Novelli said that there had been “broad consensus among member states on the need to combat this curse”. He said a “European monitoring centre” charged with gathering data on counterfeiting and piracy would be set up. The centre would be “part of the European Commission”, and would not require additional funding or staffing, he added. The text of the resolution was thus strengthened to indicate that the monitoring centre would be built on existing Commission services - a way of reassuring member states fearful of having, once again, to put their hands in their pockets. The action plan also provides for awareness-raising activities and the presentation of a customs plan for 2009-2012. “Setting up a European Counterfeiting Monitoring Centre which will, once or twice a year, bring together the main public and private players from all member states will mean better coordination of intelligence, prevention and enforcement policies at EU level,” said Marc-Antoine Jamet, Head of UNIFAB (the Union française des fabricant pour la protection internationale de la propriété intellectuelle). (M.B./transl.rt)