Belgium swamped by counterfeit goods

9 February 2005

BRUSSELS – Fifty five percent of counterfeit goods seized by the EU in 2003 were found in Belgium.

According to new European Commission statistics, the general flow of counterfeit goods across all 25 EU member states rose by nine percent in that year.

A total of 100 million goods were seized by customs officials.

The Commission said the large percentage of goods seized in Belgium was due to the efficiency of the country’s customs officers.

“Belgium has very good investigative techniques,” said Christophe Zimmerman, the official in charge of the Commission’s anti-counterfeit division.

The most common counterfeit goods in 2003 were cigarettes, followed by CDs and DVDs, toys and perfumes.

China is the principal supplier of counterfeit products, with 60 percent of the total originating there.

Subject: Belgian news