BASCAP in Ukraine

Counterfeiting and piracy impact virtually every product category. The days when only luxury goods were counterfeited, or when unauthorized music CDs and movies DVDs were sold only on street corners are long past. Today, counterfeiters are producing fake foods and beverages, pharmaceuticals, electronics and electrical supplies, auto parts and everyday household products. And, copyright pirates have created multi-million networks to produce, transport and sell their unauthorized copies of music, video and software.

Millions of fake products are being produced and shipped around the world to developing and developed markets at increasingly increasing alarming rates. Millions of consumers are now at risk from unsafe and ineffective products, and governments, businesses and society are being robbed of hundreds of billions in tax revenues, business income and jobs.

The drain on the global economy is significant and the longer term implications of the continuing growth in this illicit trade are enormous. The OECD published an extensive report on international counterfeiting activities in 2008, and concluded that the value of counterfeited and pirated goods moving through international trade alone equaled $200 billion annually, a number they updated in 2009 to $250 billion. Taken together with the value of domestically produced and consumed counterfeits, the significant volume of digital and fake products being distributed via the Internet, and the loss of economic development, harm to heath & safety, reduced technology transfer, and innovation, the total magnitude of counterfeiting and piracy worldwide is well over US$ 600 billion.

A disorder of this magnitude undermines economic development, a sound market economy system and open international trade and investment. No legitimate business and no country is immune from the impact of counterfeiters and pirates. No single business, business sector or country can fight this battle alone.

ICCWBO has launched BASCAP initiative in order to connect and mobilize businesses across industries, sectors and national borders in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy and ICC Ukraine believes that such initiative is extremely important for the Ukrainian market.

The main objectives of the BASCAP Initiative Group in Ukraine will be adoption and implementation of BASCAP principles into the Ukrainian business environment and society, raising awareness of the negative effects of counterfeiting and piracy onto economy and society, working with government agencies on enhancing protection of intellectual property rights, initiating cultural changes to strengthen respect for the intellectual property rights and make counterfeited and pirated goods less acceptable by the Ukrainian society.

Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy – BASCAP – was launched by the International Chamber of Commerce to:

• Connect and mobilize businesses across industries, sectors and national borders in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy.
• Pool resources and expertise – creating greater critical mass than any single company or sector could do alone.
• Amplify the voice and views of business to governments, public and media – increasing both awareness and understanding of counterfeiting and piracy activities and the associated economic and social harm.
• Compel government action and the allocation of resources towards strengthened intellectual property rights enforcement.
• Create a culture change to ensure intellectual property is respected and protected.