The First Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting

Tuesday 25 May and Wednesday 26 May 2004

World Customs Organization Headquarters, Brussels - Belgium

Combating Global Counterfeiting

The World Customs Organisation and Interpol, with the support and participation of the World Intellectual Property Organisation, hosted the First Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting. The congress was held in co-operation with the Global Business Leaders Alliance Against Counterfeiting (GBLAAC), the International Trademark Association (INTA), the International Security Management Association (ISMA) and some member companies of the World Customs Organisation's IPR Strategic Group (WCOIPR).

The purpose of the congress was to develop a collective understanding of the extent of the counterfeit problem, identify effective measures of governments and the private sector in anti-counterfeiting and work, generate ideas for further co-operation and begin to identify solutions that will make a real difference in the coming decade.

There was an urgent need for such a global congress. The worldwide trade in counterfeit products is increasing dramatically in size and scope, and it is increasingly controlled by organised criminal networks. Counterfeiting now represents real threats to global security, consumer health and safety, economic development and good governance.

The congress provided an opportunity for leaders from the public and private sectors to analyze the social and economic impact of counterfeiting and shape future enforcement strategies and actions.

The programme was organised as a high-level, interactive event. It included keynote addresses, plenary sessions and roundtables structured in a way that helped generate constructive debate and, ultimately, concrete recommendations on new methods and initiatives for addressing counterfeiting at the national, regional and global levels. The congress intended to provide the foundations for more effective co-operation and communication among governments, inter-governmental organisations and industry.

Discussions focused on the following:
Developing a consensus on the full dimensions and related costs of counterfeiting to consumers, governments and industry.

Developing common understandings of the prevailing attitudes of governments, the private sector and consumers towards counterfeiting.

Generating common understandings of what is being done and what more needs to be done in the fight against counterfeiting.

Examining and understanding current international instruments for co-operation among governments in enforcement work, and identifying enhancements required for strengthening enforcement efforts.

Who attended?
The Congress was attended by senior decision makers and leaders from the public and private sectors. Invitees included senior officials from customs and police as well as government policy makers responsible for anti-counterfeiting and IP protection and law enforcement strategies. Chief Executive Officers and other senior executives from the private sector played an essential role in providing insights into the business dimension of the problem. Representatives of non-governmental organisations specialising in the subject also played an important role in informing and facilitating the event.

in co-operation with

Event News

Making a Difference at the Business End

The police and customs are on the front line in the battle against intellectual property crime. And as the demands being placed on enforcement authorities grow, so does the attention being paid to the subject by representative bodies such as Interpol and the World Customs Organisation. Joff Wild reports.

Governments Increase Anti-Counterfeiting Initiatives

Politicians and governments hold the keys to ensuring that the fight against counterfeiting is as effective as possible. The good news is that it seems some of them at least are beginning to understand this. To read the article, click here.

Trademark Owners Unite Against Counterfeits

Counterfeiting and piracy are not new phenomena. They have been causing problems for intellectual property owners since time immemorial. But over recent years the situation has got markedly worse, so efforts to influence public opinion, as well as to put in place strategies to fight criminals, have intensified. Joff Wild reports.

WCO IPR Group News

WCO IPR Group's Asia Pacific Secretariat launch a new quarterly bulletin. To read the bulletin click here.

Global Trends in Music Piracy

As global production of optical discs continues to outstrip legitimate demand and fuel illegal pirate sales, it is now estimated that organised crime gangs earn $4.6 billion a year from music piracy. More...

Massive Seizure of Counterfeit Cigarettes

Millions of cigarettes shipped as DVD players have been seized in Malta Freeport en route from Asia to Africa. Steven Matz reports

Fake Milk Formula Kills Babies

The case is a further example of the severe problems posed by counterfeit goods that are currently flooding the Chinese market. The state-controlled Shenzhen Evening News has reported that 192,000 people died in China as a result of fake drugs in 2001. More...

Fighting Back Against IP Theft

Intellectual property theft is reaching epidemic proportions. The general public seems happy to tolerate what is often seen as a victimless activity but in reality counterfeiting and piracy are becoming the preserve of organised crime and terrorism. The need for public private partnerships to tackle the problem is clear yet obstacles to effective cooperation remain.
Joff Wild reports

Counterfeit Printer Cartridges Seized at a Warehouse in New Jersey

A sting operation run by the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor resulted in an arrest and netted $500,000 in bogus cartridges and other boxed office supplies. Law enforcement officials were poring over these supplies on Monday to determine if they, too, were counterfeit click here for the full article

The Future of IP Crime Fighting

As organised crime groups look to exploit IP rights, co-operation and the effective use of information sharing are the keys to successfully fighting IP crime. John Newton reports

Growing Evidence of Links Between Counterfeit Goods and Terrorist Financing

Linking terrorist organisations to counterfeit brake parts shows not only the link between terrorist financing and intellectual property crime, but also how intellectual property crime is not a victimless one. More...

designed and
created by
revenue+