Mou Xinsheng, Director of the Chinese General Administration of Customs said in Brussels on the 19th that China attaches great importance to the protection of intellectual property right and cracking down on counterfeit and shoddy goods.  China and EU have achieved some results in this regard and China is willing to continuously strengthen this cooperation with EU, so as to maintain trade order.

The second meeting of the Sino-EU Joint Customs Cooperation Committee was held on the 19th in the headquarters of the EU Committee in Brussels, at which, issues such as protection of intellectual property right, trade security and convenience were discussed by both sides. 

Mou Xinsheng said at the Sino-EU Joint Press Conference held on the same day that China has always attached importance to the protection of intellectual property right.  The Chinese State Council has set up a special organ on cracking down counterfeit and shoddy goods and for the protection of intellectual property right with Vice Premier Wu Yi as the head of the leading group.  Meanwhile, China has established a fairly complete legal system for the protection of intellectual property right, which include: "Law for the Protection of Intellectual Property Right" and "Regulations Governing Customs Protection of Intellectual Property Right" and so on.

Mou Xinsheng said: "In recent years, the number of IPR infringement cases seized by Chinese Customs grow around 30 percent every year.  By 2005, China seized more than 5,500 IPR infringement cases with the total value of 730,000,000 yuan and was highly commended by foreign investment enterprises.  In June this year, Chinese Customs was awarded the 2005 Government Agency Prize for Global Anti-Counterfeit and Shoddy Goods".

Mou Xinsheng said: "Since China Signed Sino-EU Customs Agreement with EU in 2004, cooperation between China and EU Customs has been further deepened.  Last year, Chinese Customs handled more than several dozens of requests from the EU Customs and their member countries for verifying the prices and certificates of place of origin, in the process of which, several pieces of important information had been provided and the EU Customs uncovered a few cases involving cigarettes smuggling of some bearing with the assistance from the Chinese Customs.  Moreover, Sino-EU Cooperation for Customs Border Protection has entered into a substantial stage, at which, data exchange were carried out and perfection of the mechanism be continuously made by both sides.  Therefore, China and EU will enhance their cooperation in the future, so that trade between the two sides will be even more safe and convenient. 

Kowatsch, Member of the EU in charge of Taxation and Customs Alliance said: "The Chinese Government cooperated well with EU on cracking down counterfeit and shoddy goods.  At present, among the total volume of counterfeit and shoddy goods that flowed into the European market, the proportion of the said goods from China is on the decrease.  EU will continuously strengthen this cooperation with China."

The Sino-EU Joint Customs Cooperation Committee was set up by the Chinese General Administration of Customs and EU Customs Authorities in accordance with the "Sino-EU Customs Agreement" signed on December 2004, with the task of executing the cooperation and implementation of the Agreement as well as the major issues pertaining to bilateral cooperation.

2006-09-25

2006-09-25