24 leading IP associations call on the Member States to support our fight against organised IP crime groups

AIM, together with 23 leading IP and anti-counterfeiting associations, respectfully calls on the Member States to help us to fight back against the organised criminal groups damaging our competitiveness, consumers and creators by retaining IP crime as a priority for the EU in the next EMPACT cycle.

IP crime is not a niche, or standalone, issue. Not only does it directly harm our citizens, state budgets and environment, the illegal profits it generates are the seed financing for a multitude of other serious and organised crime types. Poly-criminality needs a poly-expertise response and the successful, multi-agency operations conducted against organised IP crime groups by our law enforcement authorities under the current EMPACT umbrella provide hard evidence of the benefits of this approach.

As the COSI Committee approaches its decision on the priorities for the next EMPACT cycle, we ask that the Member States continue to empower the EU’s authorities to conduct these coordinated, complex, cross-border investigations that protect us all.

Click here to read the full statement.

For further background please see the last our previous joint statement.

AIM (Association des Industries de Marque) is the European Brands Association, which represents manufacturers of branded consumer goods in Europe on key issues that affect their ability to design, distribute and market their brands. AIM’s membership comprises 2,500 businesses ranging from SMEs to multinationals, directly or indirectly through its corporate and national association members.