Brussels, 10/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 9 July, the European Commission presented its 2008 statistics on seizure of counterfeit goods at the borders of the European Union. For the sixth year running, there has been a huge increase in the number of articles confiscated, with numbers doubling in one year: 178 million articles confiscated in 2008 compared to 79 million seized in 2007. The number of cases discovered has also increased, going from 43,000 units in 2007 to 49,000 units in 2008. This is a “growing problem” which no longer concerns only luxury products but also current consumer goods with the risk on consumer health and safety that such a phenomenon comprises, said John Taylor, Head of Unit responsible for customs issues at the Commission. In his view, the upward statistics are due not only to the fact that the phenomenon is getting worse but also to the fact that European customs services are more effective in detecting such cases.
Counterfeit CDs and DVDs are the articles that have been most confiscated with a rise of 2600%. Blank disks have mainly been seized by customs services of northern EU countries. Other increases relate to medicines (+118%) and cigarettes (+54%). As far as the number of cases detected is concerned, main confiscations are for toys (+136%), electrical equipment (+58%), medicines (+57%) - with Viagra being the most frequently imported counterfeit medicine - as well as beauty products (+42%). In all categories of products, counterfeiting is a real risk for consumer health and safety, Mr Taylor says.
China is the country from which more than half (54%) of the goods seized originate, in breach of intellectual property rights. John Taylor nonetheless put this figure into perspective saying that it is a very small percentage of all goods imported from China onto the European continent. He went on to point out that the European Union and third countries had signed an action plan in early 2009 aimed at strengthening intellectual property rights (see EUROPE 9831). Four areas of activity are concerned: - exchange of statistical information, the creation of a network of customs experts in key ports, improved cooperation between all administrations involved and the development of partnerships with economic operators. It should be noted that other third countries are also the countries of origin of a number of categories of counterfeit products: Indonesia for foodstuffs and drinks, the United Arab Emirates for cigarettes and India for medicines.
Ninety percent of counterfeit goods confiscated have been detained in ten member states. As far as the number of articles are concerned, the Netherlands comes first (35% in total), followed by Germany and Spain (15% each). In terms of number of cases highlighted, France (20% of cases) is ahead of Germany (over 15%) and Hungary (15%). The Commission welcomes the increased involvement of economic operators in the fight to ensure intellectual property rights are respected. Their requests for intervention increase each year, reaching 13,000 units in 2008, i.e. 80% of measures launched by customs services. (M.B./transl.jl)