International Customs Day – tomorrow - No to counterfeiting and piracy
The world over Customs officers celebrate 26 January as International Customs Day and for us in India it is double celebration, but 26 January being a holiday, not many Customs officers will stay back to participate in the celebrations. The theme for this year’s celebration is “No to counterfeiting and piracy” WCO secretary General Michel Danet says:-
++ Counterfeiting and piracy are now recognised as two of the most serious crimes being perpetrated by those whom one can certainly refer to as economic saboteurs and health terrorists.
++ The trade in fake goods is growing at an alarming rate and has reached intolerable proportions, not only in size and value but also with respect to the variety of products available on the market.
++ Anything from baby food to aircraft engines is being illegally manufactured by these criminals. And of course, I can only shudder when I read reports of the avalanche of fake medicines that are flooding society and often causing major fatalities especially among those who are most vulnerable to this form of exploitation!
++ During 2004 there were more than 4,000 reported cases involving the seizure of more than 166 million counterfeit or pirated articles; between 1998 and 2004, the number of counterfeit articles seized by Customs in Europe has increased by 1000%;
++ it has been estimated that 10 to 30% of all medicaments consumed in developing countries are fake;
++ the global market in counterfeit medicine will grow from 35 billion US$ in 2005 to 75 billion USD by 2010;
++ 43% of available computer software is pirated;
++ more than 2,500 seizures of counterfeit products relating to the 2006 FIFA World Cup Football event were recorded;
++ the counterfeit industry is responsible for job losses totalling 200,000 in Europe and 750,000 in the United States;
++ the total world trade in fake goods now exceeds 500 billion US$ worldwide!
++ Clearly this scourge which has visible negative consequences for international trade, economic development, business confidence, and the health and safety of citizens around the world has to be stopped as a matter of priority.
Victor Hugo said more than 160 years ago, "Fair trade tends to elevate industry, while fraudulent trade tends to debase and degrade it. Protect fair trade and strike out against unfair trade”. The WCOSG believes that these words of wisdom are still relevant today!