Multi-country anti-counterfeit declaration signed in Cannes

Bill Lumley

Print Article E-Mail Article E-Mail Author

The Declaration of Cannes was presented as a key step to stamping out luxury goods counterfeiting

The Tax Free World Association (TFWA) played host to the signing of the Declaration of Cannes, an agreement between nine countries to help tackle the global $700bn counterfeit luxury goods industry signed at this year's editiion of the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes. The declaration signals an agreement between nine countries—France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Monaco and Tunisia—to take steps to halt the global counterfeit market, which accounts for between 7% and 10% of world trade.

French minister for industry and consumer affairs Luc Chatel said the declaration was a “key step towards protecting the rights of producers and beating counterfeiters back into the shadows”. He added: “It will allow those countries involved to maintain a higher level of awareness and enforcement against fake goods and enhance mechanisms to fight organised counterfeit operations through the exchange of information between signatory states.”

TFWA president Erik Juul-Mortensen said the association was going to take advantage of the secure nature of its retail channel and work with both brand owners and retailers on the issue. “This initiative would encourage consumers to shop at duty-free and travel-retail stores precisely because here consumers have the guarantee that they will be purchasing genuine brands,” he concluded.