New EU sponsored 4IPR website launched
 
Losses through counterfeiting, product piracy and brand diversion are estimated to now account for as much as 6-7% of world trade and to be costing society as a whole 1,000 billion Euros in lost revenue annually – and much of that from organised crime activities worldwide. Crime which is global and knows no boundaries, and which is becoming even easier to perpetuate and organise through, and on, the Internet.
 
Add losses through retail theft and tampering and these figures rise even more dramatically. Even within the EU, losses through counterfeiting and piracy alone are estimated to be Euro 400 billion in the Single Market. This enormous figure was identified by Laszlo Kovacs, The European Commissioner in charge of taxation and customs union in a speech he made in February 2005. He recorded that the rise in seizures of counterfeit goods at market borders had risen some 400% over the last four years!
 
Not unsurprisingly, the European Commission has announced in recent years a series of measures aimed at both combating and further stepping up the fight against counterfeiting and piracy. These measures have included proposals to strengthen the means of enforcing intellectual property rights, examining mechanisms for administrative co-operation among Member States to combat the problem, and the need to put forward proposals for harmonising the minimum thresholds of sanctions and criminal proceedings and extending Europol's powers.
 
A study was also commissioned by the E.C. to define a methodology for collecting, analysing and comparing data on counterfeiting and piracy, while recommendations are being made for making better use of existing information systems and for strengthening co-operation and the exchange of information between the private and public authorities.
 
Additionally, the Research Directorate-General of the European Commission sponsored – in 2001 - a project designated as 4IPR (for Intellectual Property Rights) to assist Brand Owners in identifying sources of authentication and security devices to protect their products. This project, now completed, will deliver an information resource in the form of a website designed to provide every stakeholder with the data needed to effect a solution to the problem of counterfeiting and piracy
 
One part of the website (www.4ipr.info) also acts as a public information resource so that citizens and the media are able to access important data on the effects and risks related to consumption of pirate products. Within the website, a password only accessible resource has the aim of identifying information and technology resources concerned with anti-counterfeiting and intellectual property abuse.
 
 
A further, and highly secure part of the site will enable Brand Owners, Customs and Enforcement Agencies to post and share data on attacks so that previously disparate intelligence can be linked and ensure that a clear picture can be obtained from activity reports logged by operators across Europe. 
 
The end result of the 4IPR project is to make data available across this multi-level secure network, enabling everyone in the anti-counterfeiting and crime prevention chain to become more effective in the fight against this type of crime.
 
Working closely with various departments within the Commission the partners in 4IPR have developed a system that will provide Brand Owners and law enforcement with an effective tool that can measure, respond and control the increasing threats from this crime.
 
The partners in 4IPR are:
 
Risk Management International
World Wide Security Exchange / Product & Image Security Foundation
REACT (UK)
Euratex (representing the textile industries)
I.P.F.I. (representing the entertainment industries)
Dr. Pius Alexander Benczek (Legal Partner)
 
www.4ipr.info (Public Site)
www.4ipr.net (Commercial Site) 
 
For further information please contact:
 
RiskForce
RMI House
Unit 2055
Citywest Business Campus
Dublin 24
Ireland
 
Tel: +353 1 4038700
Fax: +353 1 4660426
 
E-mail: jim.seward@riskforce.com
Website: www.riskforce.com

back to top of page