France: start of 'No counterfeiting, please' campaign

The French Ministry of the Economy has launched a huge advertising campaign with the headline 'No counterfeiting, please'.

As explained to Le Monde by the president of the Manufacturers Union, Marc-Antoine Jamet, who contributed to setting up the campaign, the initiative is not only aimed at 'safeguarding the economic interests of the brands', but also 'individuals and jobs'.

A bill against counterfeiting is also being drawn up and adopts the European directive of 2004 on intellectual property rights. The bill proposes that the damages awarded to the victim should also take into consideration the advantages gained by the counterfeiter; at present, only the damage sustained is taken into account.

The manufacture, sale and possession of counterfeit products are considered to be a criminal offence punishable by fines of up to 300,000 euros and a prison sentence of 3 years, or 500 thousand euros and 5 years in prison in the case of organized groups.

For buyers, the crime is punishable by the confiscation of the goods and a fine of up to twice the value of the genuine article.

(Source: La Prealpina)