INTERPOL welcomes US Chamber of Commerce support in fighting counterfeiting

The agreement between the world’s largest police organization and the US Chamber is aimed at enhancing co-operation between law enforcement and business against a crime which affects all consumer products and is estimated to exceed six per cent of global trade.

The Chamber’s decision will support INTERPOL’s Intellectual Property crime programme’s range of activities, including the collection and analysis of counterfeiting trends, and exchange of intelligence and best practice between all of the organization’s 186 member countries.

'Counterfeiting is not a problem which law enforcement can deal with alone, and it is only through collaboration between the public and private sectors that we will be able to achieve real results, which is why the Chamber’s announcement represents an important step forward,' said INTERPOL’s Director for Specialized Crime, David Gork.

Counterfeit products not only damage business and investment opportunities, but also have severe implications for society, public health and the global economy. The World Health Organisation estimates that counterfeit drugs account for 10 per cent of all pharmaceuticals, with this figure rising as high as 60 per cent in developing countries.

The US Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation, representing more than three million business and organizations.