EU: Tougher action on piracy

The EP External Economic Relations Committee has unanimously adopted a report aimed at strengthening a 1994 Regulation for the banning of counterfeit and pirated goods in the EU. Following adoption of his report Jaime Valdivielso de Cué (EPP, Spain) said the current system controlling counterfeit merchandise makes it possible to block in customs any goods suspected of being a counterfeit or pirated version of goods protected by intellectual property rights (brand or trade name, design or model, copyright or related rights). In its new legislation the Commission plans to extend this regulation to new intellectual property rights (invention patents) as well as to new customs situations, such as goods in duty free areas and in free warehouses and goods under customs surveillance, including in temporary deposit.