Trade in counterfeit products has been rapidly increasing over the past couple of years causing serious problems for companies across industries. OECD estimates that counterfeit and pirated goods entering European borders these days amount up to approx. EUR 14 billion.
Plougmann & Vingtoft’s partner, The IPR Company, has developed a tool called ‘European Customs Intelligence System’ (ECIS), designed to enable companies and Customs to more effectively intercept and seize counterfeit products imported mainly from Asia.
ECIS consists of a CD-ROM developed in cooperation with companies containing detailed information and pictures of a company’s genuine and counterfeit products. Besides the CD-ROM, ECIS also consists of an EU customs application. In most European countries, the EU customs application is considered a crucial element that enables Customs at European borders to stop counterfeit products to the highest possible extent.
ECIS offers Customs a clear overview of products’ specific characteristics. It enables customs officials to more effectively recognise and intercept counterfeits and at the same time become more aware of a company’s specific counterfeit problems.
ECIS is also a valuable tool that can be applied internally in a company, to create a database containing all the problems the company has experienced with counterfeits. Additionally, applied effectively within a company, the tool can function as a common platform across departments focused on finding solutions to the counterfeit problems.
Once implemented, ECIS can be updated on a yearly basis or regularly, depending on the needs of the company.
Read more about ECIS on www.theiprcompany.com or contact our Law and Trademarks team for additional information.
