In 2009 the EU customs seized more than a few million of goods in 43 500 control actions at the EU border. The reason: customs assessed them to be counterfeited and pirated. This was announced by the Commission last week in its report on EUR Customs Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights.
The seized goods are mostly cigarettes, clothing and branded products. In addition many goods for daily use that could cause health risks were seized, like shampoos, toothpaste, toys, medical products of household tools. The report contains statistic material about the kind, the origin and the way of transport of the products infringing upon IP rights, that were stopped at the EU border.
This shows all the more that it can make a difference for right owners to act proactively, by notifying customs if fake goods are expexted. Once customs know what products are involved, from which countries the real goods origine, and how fake goods can be distinguised from the real ones, customs can stop counterfeited goods and warn the IP rightholder. This goes all the more for the Netherlands and its important Rotterdam port.
Maarten Haak, trademark lawyer
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office Emerald House Jozef Israëlskade 48-G Amsterdam, the Netherlands t +31 (0)20 - 305 3066 www.hoogenhaak.nl |
post PO Box 76780 1070 KB Amsterdam e info@hoogenhaak.nl f +31 (0)20 - 305 3069 chamber of commerce 34314579 |
In 2009 the EU customs seized more than a few million of goods in 43 500 control actions at the EU border. The reason: customs assessed them to be counterfeited and pirated. This was announced by the Commission last week in its report on EUR Customs Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights.
The seized goods are mostly cigarettes, clothing and branded products. In addition many goods for daily use that could cause health risks were seized, like shampoos, toothpaste, toys, medical products of household tools. The report contains statistic material about the kind, the origin and the way of transport of the products infringing upon IP rights, that were stopped at the EU border.
This shows all the more that it can make a difference for right owners to act proactively, by notifying customs if fake goods are expexted. Once customs know what products are involved, from which countries the real goods origine, and how fake goods can be distinguised from the real ones, customs can stop counterfeited goods and warn the IP rightholder. This goes all the more for the Netherlands and its important Rotterdam port.
Maarten Haak, trademark lawyer