Author (Person) | Bower, Helen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Publisher | ProQuest Information and Learning | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Series Title | In Focus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Series Details | 23.7.03 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Publication Date | 23/07/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Content Type | News, Overview, Topic Guide | In Focus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ministers from the EU's Member States adopted a Regulation on 22 July 2003, which seeks to combat the growing problem of counterfeiting and piracy in the European Union. Only proposed by the European Commission on 20 January 2003, the new Regulation replaces Regulation 3295/94/EC strengthening the powers of customs officials to intercept counterfeit goods whilst also enhancing intellectual property rights. The main features of the new Regulation are:
The European Commission welcomed the Council's swift adoption of the Regulation warning that the problems of counterfeiting and piracy on the increase. In 2001 100 million counterfeit items were intercepted on the EU's borders, compared to 10 million in 1998, levels for the first half of 2003 suggest these figures are to continue. Although CDs, DVDs and cassettes accounted for 40% of these goods in 2001, 4 million items of food and drink were seized as well as 1 million pieces of electrical equipment and 1.5 million toys and games. The effect of the trade on the EU's economy is estimated at €2 billion with many of the goods coming from the Asian continent and countries in Southern and Eastern Europe. However, Frits Bolkestein, the European Commissioner with responsibility for the issue, is confident that the new Regulation will have a significant impact on reducing the trade. In addition, a European Commission proposal for a Directive harmonising intellectual property rights, which is currently going through the decision making process, is expected to further strengthen the EU's defences against counterfeited and pirated goods.
Helen Bower Compiled: Wednesday, 23 July 2003 The EU adopted a Regulation on 22 July 2003, which seeks to combat the growing problem of counterfeiting and piracy in the European Union. |
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Subject Categories | Internal Markets |
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