Eight EU countries, Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Germany, Hungary and Romania, are reportedly considering legal action against China, over claims that Chinese suppliers have launched products bearing false European DOP and IGP classifications.
Euractiv, an online news platform, said last week that it was aware of the presence of a document outlining the proposed action, reported Il Sole 24 Ore.
According to the document, the paper reports, during several meetings between China and EU, Chinese authorities have refused to cancel production of some 25 brands that bear close similarities to European products, such as vinegar from Italy.
A spokesperson for the European Commission said, “The aim of this accord […] is to encourage producers that have to face competition from products already registered as brands in China.”
Products Confiscated
Last year, more than 41 million forged products were confiscated by European customs, totalling approximately €672 million euros. The most confiscated products include cigarettes (9.9 million units), followed by toys (86.8 million) and foodstuffs (5.3 million).
“In the last few years,” Claudio Bergonzi, general secretary of Indicam, told the paper, “the strategy of forging has become more and more elusive.”
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Francesca Volpe. Sign-up for a subscription to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
