News

The IPR Center Report

Partners in Action

Volume 2, No. 1 • March 2009

French Customs Fights Counterfeiting

The French Customs Administration is working to curb the threat that counterfeiting poses to the economy, employment and consumer health and safety. More checks in tourist areas, combined with public awareness campaigns on the damage caused by counterfeiting, are included among the goals set by French Customs.

A law passed in October 2007 increased French Customs’ power to investigate counterfeiting, and widened the definition of counterfeiting to include infringement of registered designs. In France, buyers are now subject to heavier penalties with prison sentences up to five years and fines reaching the equivalent of approximately $638,000. It also strengthened cooperation with rights holders.

The French economy loses some 6 billion euros a year to counterfeiting (approximately $7.65 billion). Half of French businesses report that they are victims of this crime. In recent years, the Internet has powered this illegal activity forward from small-scale production into a real industry, generating huge profits. Counterfeiting attacks cheat consumers, and compromise public health and safety.

In 2007, French Customs charged 15,357 offenses (up 18.7 percent on the previous year and excluding counterfeit cigarettes), in the course of which 4.6 million items (up 15 percent) were intercepted. The market value of these items was 412 million euros (approximately $523.9 million, an increase of 52 percent compared with 2006).

The number of seizures rose in almost all sectors of the market.The counterfeiters’ preferred areas are still clothing and clothing accessories (1.1 million textile products seized in 2007), toys and games, and jewelry. The pharmaceuticals sector has seen a year-on-year rise of more than 30 percent, with 781,761 items seized (representing 17 percent of all goods confiscated in 2007).There was an increase in seizures of counterfeit motor vehicle parts in 2007; 8,950 counterfeit items were found by customs. Lastly, more than 14,000 counterfeit items were seized during the Rugby World Cup, including 11,668 checks specially introduced for this major sporting event.

Cracking down on counterfeits is a priority for the French General Customs and Excise Directorate, which is determined to stop counterfeiting. As part of this action, it has stepped up its controls to combat “counterfeiting tourism,” particularly active in the summer season. Customs officials control products during clearance procedures, including merchandise sent through post express carriers and major seasonal marketplaces.

Finally, French Customs is developing an active cooperation with its cyber crime unit and foreign partners such as the National IPR Center.