On 11 Oct/05, the Commission announced a package of measures to strengthen protection in the EU against counterfeiting & piracy. The statistics for seizures for 2004 show that the seizure of counterfeited & pirated articles at the EU's borders is continuing to increase. Counterfeit foodstuffs, drinks & alcohol seizures increased by 200% compared to 2003 to a figure of 4.5m. Most fakes are now household items rather than luxury goods & high quality fakes often make identification impossible without technical expertise. A Questions & Answers note is provided to a series of frequently asked questions on counterfeiting & piracy. Amongst other information, this document outlines the current Community instruments & initiatives aimed at combating counterfeiting & piracy.
