DIPP's organising two-day national conference on counterfeiting

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) today said it is organising a two-day national conference on counterfeiting and role of enforcement agencies from tomorrow with an aim to increase awareness on the subject.
Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM), a body under the aegis of the DIPP, said that counterfeiting has grown considerably to a point where it has become a widespread phenomenon with a global impact.
Other than causing erosion of brand value, reputation and goodwill of the manufacturers and owners of intellectual property rights (IPRs), counterfeiting leads to social and economic consequences resulting in huge economic losses in terms of lost taxes and revenues, CIPAM said.

It added that enforcement agencies like police, customs, as also the prosecution wing, have a major role to play in effective enforcement of IPRs in the country.
"Creating awareness about IPRs and the menace of counterfeiting amongst officials of these agencies will strengthen the enforcement regime, as also assist them in handling cases relating to counterfeit products in their day to day activities," it said.
The conference intends to bring together national and international experts for a dialogue and exchange of best practices for the benefit of enforcement agencies, attorneys and industry representatives and provide fresh ideas for further strengthening the IPR protection ecosystem.

Briefing reporters on the issue, DIPP Joint Secretary Rajiv Aggarwal said that money made out of sale of counterfeit products is used in funding of anti-social and anti-national activities.

Figures by certain studies have shown that this crime has increasing over the years, he told reporters here.
He said that people should not confuse with counterfeit and spurious drugs with generic medicines as the later are legal.
The conference, he said, will also act as a platform for the officials to share their experiences and better inter-agency coordination with respect to tackling the menace of counterfeiting.