Counterfeiting and piracy
Summary of the Danish Government's report on counterfeiting and piracy March 2008
In January 2007 the Danish Minister of Economic and Business Affairs decided to set up an interdepartmental committee to analyze the problem of counterfeiting and piracy. The results of this analysis are comprised in a governmental report. This paper contains a summary of the governmental report.
The Danish Government has made the fight against counterfeiting and piracy a major priority, and the topic is included in the Government Platform from November 2007.
In the report the committee confirms that counterfeiting and piracy have damaging effects on consumers, companies and society as a whole. Counterfeit products, such as medicines or children’s toys often constitutes an actual health and security risk for consumers, who are not necessarily aware of the fact that they are buying and handling counterfeit products.
Furthermore, Denmark is a knowledge-based economy. When this knowledge is copied and thereby stolen, it is a problem for both companies and for society as a whole. The extent of counterfeiting and piracy is quite significant, and rapidly expanding. This development is not only taking place in Denmark, but also within the European Union as well as worldwide.
The committee concludes that the effort to combat counterfeiting and piracy can be strengthened in several different areas, and recommends a variety of policy initiatives.
These initiatives fall within the following four categories:
· efficient rules and regulations
· strengthening of cooperation between authorities, both national and international
· increased awareness on the part of industry
· increased awareness on the part of consumers
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