The Hindu Business Line : `Counterfeiting, pirated goods causing huge loss to global trade'

Increase in counterfeiting and pirated goods is causing enormous loss to global trade, according to Mr Michel Danet, Secretary-General, World Customs Organisation. (WCO). This inter-government organisation's mission is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of global Customs' administrations, he said.

Counterfeit products could be 5-7 per cent of global trade and valued at around € 500 billion. "It is hurting economies world over," he told newspersons after the 56th session of the WCO in Chennai. The meeting was attended by 24 members from five continents and discussed various issues, including counterfeiting and piracy, he said.

Consequences

"We are concerned on the consequences for the public of counterfeit pharmaceuticals and other products that represent a threat to human health and safety. The economic and social well being of every country is at risk. Customs services throughout the world should enhance their efforts to combat this 21st-century crime," he said.There is no product that is not counterfeited and the list ranges from cigarettes to oil and petroleum, he said. The WCO recently released its first review of Customs and counterfeiting in 2004. This provides a global overview of the alarming increase in the trade in counterfeit and pirated goods whilst showcasing the efforts by the Customs administrations to fight this scourge with all means at their disposal.

In 2004, the Customs administrations globally reported more than 4,000 cases involving the seizure of more than 166 million counterfeit or pirated articles.

Analysis

Based on seizure contributions from over 50 WCO members, analysis indicates that in terms of the type of articles counterfeited or pirated, the top five are: Fine leather goods (+46 million articles valued at more than € 2 billion); Cigarettes (+44 million packets); Games and toys (+39 million articles); CD's and DVD's (+16 million units) and Products of the textile sector (+3 million articles).

Some potentially dangerous seizures included over one million counterfeit Viagra tablets, around 1,51,000 automobile parts of variable quality and often containing counterfeit versions of automobile safety features, parts for boats and trains and even a part for the landing gear of a Boeing 747 aircraft.

A second review of the seizures made between 1 January and 31 December 2005 is scheduled for publication at the end of 2006, the WCO said.

According to Mr V.P. Singh, Chairman, Central Board of Excise and Customs, India, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and other enforcement agencies have seized sizeable quantity of counterfeit Indian currency. "We are aware of this and increasing vigil across the country," he said.

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