Uganda's Private sector Foundation calls for stern measures on Counterfeits

Uganda's Private sector Foundation calls for stern measures on Counterfeits

By Asiimwe Paul   Monday, June 09, 2008   No comments:

In the run up to this year's reading of the budget, the Private Sector Foundation of Uganda (PSFU) has added its voice to several others concerning the effect of counterfeits on local industry. The PSFU represents private sector interests in Uganda, giving a platform to its concerns and carrying out advocacy initiatives.

The PSFU has requested the Minister of Finance to increase the penalties for trading in or manufacturing counterfeits to 10 million shillings(about US$6,000) with a jail term of 5 years. The Chairman of the PSFU, a former Minister of Finance "also proposed the establishment of a regional and international link with other anti-counterfeits bodies to curb the importation of fake goods."

These demands from the PSFU come against the backdrop of initiatives geared at curbing counterfeits by the East African Community Secretariat within the region. Hopefully, the PSFU will work hand in hand with international agencies such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the World Customs Organisation (WCO) to implement sterner measures.

Read More

Six African countries get a grip on Vice

Six African countries get a grip on Vice

By Jeremy   Sunday, June 08, 2008   No comments:

Internet Business Law Services reports that the World Customs Organization has launched Operation "Vice Grips" to give effect to its determination to take concrete action against counterfeiting and piracy. Aided by six concerned countries -- Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria, Tunisia, and Senegal -- this voluntary operation seeks to conduct simultaneous inspections of imported consignments that may potentially contain counterfeit and pirated goods.

Initially this operation is scheduled to last just one week, but with thorough controls being conducted at the following ports: Damietta (Egypt); Thema (Ghana); Casablanca (Morocco), Lagos (Nigeria), Tunis (Tunisia) and Dakar (Senegal). Operational teams led by national Customs experts from participating countries, supported by WCO intellectual property rights specialists, are targeting fake pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, spare parts, cigarettes, everyday consumer goods, fabrics, CDs, and DVDs. The results of these simultaneous operations will be collated in Dakar, Senegal where the headquarters of the Operational Co-ordinating Unit is located.

The primary objective of Operation "Vice Grips" is not so much to catch the villains this time round, as to build the capacity of national Customs authorities. There will also be an opportunity to quantify and qualify the scope of fraudulent trade, to identify new fraud routes and places of concealment and to unearth new fraud techniques. Operation "Vice Grips" will eventually be extended to other ports in Africa.

Read More