Customs actions statistics for 2008 in the EU.

The European Commission has published last week statistics related to goods infringing intellectual property rights (IPR). These statistics show for the sixth consecutive year a significant increase in customs activity. In 2008, customs registered over 49,000 cases of goods detained at the EU's external border, suspected of IPR infringements. Compared with 43,000 cases in 2007, this increase shows a further strengthening in cooperation between customs and industry, enabling customs to better target suspected shipments and to recognize IPR infringing goods. The number of articles detained more than doubled in 2008 to 178 million, of which about 20 million were potentially dangerous to the health and safety of European consumers.

According to the information contained in the Report on EU customs enforcement of intellectual property rights for year 2008 China was the main source country for IPR infringing articles with 54% of the total amount. Among the source countries are also United Arab Emirates, Taiwan, Turkey.

Further from the presented report we may see that the close cooperation between the customs authority and the private sector is of very high importance, 80% of the total amount of IPR infringement cases were realized based on application for action filed by the right holders.

Based on total amount of detained good the three most infringed product sectors are CD/DVD/cassettes, cigarettes and cloths/accessories.

Based on the findings that more than 90% of the infringing goods are entering the market by road and sea transportation and that Bulgaria is one of the external borders of the EU, we have to point out the significant role of the Bulgarian customs authority in fighting IPR infringements.

Source of information: European Commission