Counterfeiting and piracy are deadly. Whether it be counterfeit pharmaceuticals or everyday consumer goods, each and every consumer is now a potential victim. These criminal activities are also bringing down economies, dealing a particularly crushing blow to artistic creativity.

 

All countries without exception are now being struck head-on by these phenomena, which are placing consumers in ever greater danger.

 

For all these reasons, Customs administrations around the globe are committed to fighting counterfeiting and its catastrophic consequences with all the means at their disposal.

 

This Conference - which is by invitation only - is aimed at mobilizing all the forces necessary to develop a strategy to tackle the alarming growth in trade of counterfeit goods and will focus efforts on international co-ordination to effectively and rapidly eradicate counterfeiting worldwide.

 

Leading pharmaceutical companies, multinationals, SMEs-SMIs and international organizations such as INTERPOL, the World Health Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization will be taking part in this Conference.

 

Given our conviction that the fight against counterfeiting and piracy can only be won through close co-operation between the private and public sectors, we hope that you will join us so that together we can seek global solutions commensurate with the dangers faced.