Member States and the Commission mobilise to fight counterfeiting and piracy

Valerie | 15 Dec 2009, 11:14

The Intellectual Property Rights debate took a big step forwards this week when European member states and the European Commission met in Stockholm under the umbrella of the European Observatory for Counterfeiting and Piracy to build on practical initiatives to respond to the increasing threat of counterfeiting and piracy and foster administrative cooperation across the EU.

Hosted by the Swedish Presidency, the group will work on existing legal frameworks and establish a databank on the specific areas of threat facing the EU in recognition of the need for greater enforcement efforts through practical non legislative means.

Internal Market and Services Commissioner Charlie McCreevy said:

“The EU is a world pacesetter for innovation, culture and creativity. It is time to put a stop to organised criminals freeloading on the ingenuity and hard work of the most resourceful businesses in the world. Counterfeiting and piracy is an affliction that is bringing criminality ever closer to our doors. It destabilises our societies and threatens public safety and jobs. More than this it places our hard earned money into the hands of criminals who have no conscience about using it to fund other forms of crime, including drugs and pornography.

We must do more to protect ourselves and the Observatory is a fundamental step in bringing together Member States authorities, private businesses and consumers in a joint, concerted effort to rid ourselves of this dangerous problem.“