The declaration of intent is based on an unequivocal zero tolerance policy regarding counterfeits. The signatories want to develop joint anti-piracy measures and exchange informationen between branches. “We’ll begin collecting and sharing information between the supply chain players, brand owners, and customs to increase transparency in the system and more accurately identify those that have initiated illegal shipments,” stated Jeff Hardy, Director of the anti-counterfeit organisation BASCAP.
Beforehand, however, the dialog with cargo companies needs to be intensified and concrete projects have to be defined, continued Hardy. Further branch representatives should also be won over for cooperation: “[The declaration] paves the way for new voluntary collaboration programmes between intermediaries and brand owners to stop abuse of the global supply chain by counterfeiters.”
Among the signatories are some of the world’s largest cargo shipping and logistics companies, incuding Maersk, CMA-CGM, Kuehne + Nagel and MSC. The associations FIATA (Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations) and BASCAP (Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy) are involved, as well as several large businesses, including Bayer, Dupont, P&G, Pfizer, and Unilever.
The declaration of intent follows a series of studies emphasising the significance of cargo shipping for the international trade with counterfeits. One such study is the current report of the OECD and EUIPO, according to which counterfeits worth some 461 billion US dollars were transported internationally in 2013, 10% of which were transported by sea cargo alone.
