Brussels, BELGIUM – Today, the European Commission published a new set of recommendations on measures to combat counterfeiting and enhance the enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights across Europe.
Long awaited since 2020, this so-called ‘toolbox’ also presents an opportunity to better coordinate recent EU digital legislation in order to improve the fight against counterfeiting.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA Europe) greatly values IP protection. Its member companies have continuously devoted significant resources to developing processes, policy programmes, and tools to address counterfeiting for instance.
The EU’s new toolbox against counterfeiting recognises many of the practices and measures already put in place by the tech industry, and incentivises further collaboration with other sectors involved in fighting fake products. The anti-counterfeiting toolbox notably builds on processes and concepts introduced by the Digital Services Act (DSA), such as the appointment of single points of contact and the role of trusted flaggers.
In order to improve DSA implementation, and thus IP protection, CCIA Europe encourages EU authorities to quickly provide the missing pieces needed for successful compliance. What is more, the toolbox should also remain aligned with the DSA’s key provisions, as these horizontal rules have to stay harmonised across the EU and types of illegal content.
Tackling counterfeiting remains difficult, as many different actors are unintentionally involved in the chain between bad actors and the consumer. In addition to the brands themselves, counterfeiters also misuse services provided by transport carriers, postal services, online marketplaces, and financial institutions, among others.
The following can be attributed to CCIA Europe’s Senior Policy Manager, Mathilde Adjutor:
“The EU toolbox against counterfeiting is a step in the right direction. It can help prevent bad actors from abusing the services of legitimate businesses. CCIA Europe and its members look forward to engaging with the Commission as it rolls out these new tools.”