Commenti del Commissiario UE

Comunicato Ufficiale

Commission welcomes adoption of Directive against counterfeiting and piracy


The European Commission has welcomed the definitive adoption by the Council of Ministers of the Directive on the enforcement of intellectual and industrial property rights, such as copyright and related rights, trademarks, designs or patents.

The Directive would require all Member States to apply effective, dissuasive and proportionate remedies and penalties against those engaged in counterfeiting and piracy and so create a level playing field for right holders in the EU. It means that in about two years' time, once the deadline for implementation has been reached, all Member States will have a similar set of measures, procedures and remedies available for rightholders to defend their intellectual property rights (be they copyright or related rights, trademarks, patents, designs, etc) if they are infringed. The Commission proposed the Directive on 30 January 2003 (see IP/03/144 and MEMO/03/20) and it was approved by the European Parliament in March 2004 (IP/04/316) in a form to which the Council has now agreed, without the need for a second reading by either the Parliament or the Council.
Internal Market Commissioner Frits Bolkestein said: "I am very pleased that close cooperation between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission has enabled the swift adoption of this crucial Directive. The Directive will give the Europe of 25 much stronger defences against counterfeiting and piracy, which are a modern economic plague increasingly linked to organised crime. When intellectual property rights are not respected, there is less investment in innovative industries, research and cultural promotion. That means everyone in Europe loses out. What is more, counterfeiters create fake medicines, toys, cosmetics, food and drinks and vehicle spare parts which threaten public health and safety."