Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-04-23-Speech-1-128"
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"en.20070423.18.1-128"2
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".
Mr President, honourable Members, infringements of intellectual property rights are on a continuing upward curve and now constitute a really serious threat to the European economy and to European society.
The differences in sanctions applicable from one country to another not only interfere with the smooth functioning of the internal market but also make it more difficult to combat the counterfeiting and piracy of products. It is vital that the holders of rights should enjoy equal protection throughout the Community.
Problems of consumer protection also arise in connection with health and safety issues. The Internet helps counterfeiters, who can use it to market faked or imitation products around the world without any loss of time; it is evident that their schemes are increasingly tied in with organised crime, and I have to say that the number of products that have had to be taken off the internal market has recently increased to a disturbing degree, being, as a rule, faked versions of other products, so action to address the problem of counterfeit goods is of the utmost importance to the Community, and the vote here in your House is an important step in getting it underway.
The Commission is glad that your House accepts and endorses the general principle underlying this amended proposal for a directive, and I should like to take this opportunity to express my thanks to the rapporteur, Mr Zingaretti.
As long ago as 2006, when – on 7 September that year – it adopted a resolution on the need for immediate action against counterfeit medical products, your House has been supportive of the Commission in its view that the sanctions available under criminal law need to be standardised as soon as possible. The Commission is also glad to note that the committee’s report envisages the same level of penalties as are already applied to serious crimes.
The Commission is, however, unhappy about a number of points that have emerged from the debate, firstly about Parliament’s desire to limit the scope of the directive solely to the ambit of the Community’s powers, and I have to say that that will result in serious difficulties when it comes to transposing the directive. It also has to be said that the definition of the concept of ‘right to intellectual property’ does not appear to be adequate, since a whole array of aspects of it have been left unclear. The definitions of the terms ‘infringement on a commercial scale’ and ‘deliberate infringement of a right to intellectual property’ do not ultimately bring any additional benefit; they are capable of being misunderstood and of undermining legal certainty.
In the interests of consumer safety and of our economy’s competitiveness, I urge you to vote in favour of the Commission’s proposal."@en1
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