Some of the most dangerous counterfeits for consumers, such as home electrical appliances, toys, body care products and even food, beverages and alcohol are increasingly being detected say European enforcement authorities.
Fake auto parts, including counterfeit brake pads, tyres, suspension components, steering linkages and other accessories are also being distributed and sold to consumers in greater volumes, the authorities admit.
Hence the private sector – household and automotive brands – police, customs and other enforcement related institutions from across the EU, as well as European and international authorities, including the European Commission, OHIM, Europol, OLAF, INTERPOL and the World Customs Organisation, gathered in Alicante, from November 4 to 6, 2013, for a conference.
The event, co-organised by the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights, which is part of the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM), and Europol, seeks to help EU member states to develop ways to deal with this concern for the health and security of shoppers which is also threatening legitimate suppliers, to which damages have recently been estimated, by the European Commission, to be between five and ten billion euros a year.
A strategic cooperation agreement between Europol and the OHIM was signed, to further expand the collaboration to mutually protect businesses and consumers against counterfeiting and piracy. Paul Maier, Director of the Observatory said: “We are determined to capitalise on the Observatory’s unique collaborative platform in order to further mutualise efforts between agencies and cross-border, to help member states in their fight against all types of counterfeiting activities. After fake pesticides or pharmaceutical products already targeted, we now focus, with the support of the European Commission and US Customs and Immigration, on domestic appliances and automotive sectors, bearing also particular dangerous consequences for the general public and for our European industry, obliged to support additional costs and being deprived of significant legitimate revenues”.
And the Director of Europol, Rob Wainwright said: ”Those behind this serious organised crime are unscrupulous and show a complete lack of concern for the health and safety of citizens. These criminals are only interested in their illegal profits, while totally oblivious to the potential injuries or risk to life that can come from sub-standard illicit car spare parts or, for example, kitchen tools that have not undergone health and safety checks. With our improved cooperation arrangements, I expect that Europol, OHIM and the EU Observatory will be better equipped to minimise the production of counterfeit products.”
For a video of Rob Wainwright visit the Europol website.
About OHIM
The European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights was established in 2009 to support the protection and enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights and help combat the growing threat of IP infringements in Europe. It was transferred by Regulation in June 2012, to the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM), which is the official trademarks and designs office of the European Union, based in Alicante, Spain since 1994.
