EUIPO-OECD joint study on misuse of containerised maritime transport for trade in counterfeit goods
Over the years, international trade has grown considerably and the increase in counterfeit trade has come as an inevitable side effect, with
maritime transport being a major channel for the shipping of counterfeit goods. The just released
EUIPO-OECD joint study provides an in depth analysis of the
scale of misuse of containers for this illicit trade.
The research shows that 80% of international trade is operated by sea transport as container ships boost efficiency and reduce the costs of international trade. Nevertheless, containers are also the major channel to transport counterfeit goods as
56% of the total value of seized counterfeits are shipped via this means, especially from East Asia. In particular,
China accounts for
79% of the total value of containers containing fakes seized worldwide.
The study also provides other relevant information such as
what types of fake products are traded in containers ships, where these counterfeits are
produced, which
geographic markets are targeted, which
ports of entry are most often used for containers with counterfeits, how products are transported in container ships without being intercepted.
Since
less than 2% of containers are physically inspected, maritime transport is considered a significant opportunity for criminal networks. This is the reason why the report considers the
need for counterfeits to be a key priority for customs officials with search and inspection techniques and tools better tailored to detect fakes.
To read the
full joint study, please click
here.
To read the
executive summary, please click
here.
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