The fight against counterfeiting
25.10.2012
Question for written answer E-009770-12
to the Commission
Rule 117
Cristiana Muscardini (ECR) , Gabriele Albertini (PPE) , Salvatore Tatarella (PPE) , Niccolò Rinaldi (ALDE) , Roberta Angelilli (PPE) , Patrizia Toia (S&D) , Lara Comi (PPE) , Tiziano Motti (PPE) , Amalia Sartori (PPE) , Gianluca Susta (S&D) , Carlo Fidanza (PPE) , Sonia Alfano (ALDE) , Paolo Bartolozzi (PPE) , Malcolm Harbour (ECR)
Information recently published in the media shows that 72.9% of the counterfeit goods seized by European customs services in 2011 came from China and 7.7% from Hong Kong. In Italy alone, according to a study by Censis and the Economic Development Ministry, this problem means 110 000 jobs lost from the lawful economy, with counterfeiting producing a turnover of EUR 6 900 million, taking EUR 2 500 million from the clothing and accessories sector, EUR 1 100 million from the food sector, and EUR 1 800 million from the CDs, DVDs and software sector.
Shifting counterfeit goods production back to the legal market would not only stop consumers being cheated; it would also considerably increase the number of jobs in Europe, direct and indirect tax revenue, and relaunch and save thousands of SMEs.
Can the Commission address this, by:
- 1.taking urgent action which can be put off no longer, to tackle counterfeiting and the entry into the EU of illegal merchandise, not only by means of stricter and more harmonised customs checks but also by measures specifically directed at the Chinese government?
- 2.opening an investigation into export companies in the countries most closely involved in the manufacture and export of counterfeit and illicit goods, and into online selling systems, with a view to creating a system that will prevent the continued perpetration of a form of fraud which at a time of serious economic difficulty in the EU is causing huge and irreparable damage for the Member States?
OJ C 310 E, 25/10/2013