ICC Comments on EC Green Paper on combating counterfeiting and piracy in the single market Commission on Intellectual and Industrial Property

For this reason, ICC set up its Counterfeiting Intelligence Bureau in 1985 to assist the international business community in combating this growing phenomenon. While substantive intellectual property laws have become more comprehensive and widespread, enforcement still remains the weak link to effective intellectual property protection in many countries.

ICC believes that the four approaches explored in the Green Paper - monitoring by the private sector, use of technical devices, sanctions and other means of enforcement, and administrative cooperation between competent authorities - are all important in tacklin g counterfeiting, and should be supported by the European Commission.

The paper provides more detailed responses to the questions asked in the Green Paper, based on the experience of the ICC Counterfeiting Intelligence Bureau (CIB) and on contributions by ICC members.