EU Ambassador to Israel Ramiro Cibrian Uzal said today, "Israel should adopt the highest international standards for protecting intellectual property rights."
Pharma Israel - The Association of the Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies, which represents the Israeli subsidiaries of international ethical pharmaceutical companies, has been trying to involve the EU in protecting the interest of EU drug companies. As far as Pharma Israel is concerned, EU involvement has been too little, too late.
At a meeting with Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce president Uriel Lynn this morning, Cibrian Uzal said, "Israel is not doing enough to prevent counterfeiting. Israel should adopt the highest international standards for protecting intellectual property rights, as both parties agreed in the association agreement between Israel and the EU."
Lynn said the Chambers of Commerce was organizing to systematically and strongly fight to preserve intellectual property rights, and was working hard to minimize counterfeiting. Lynn said that at a meeting two weeks ago, Minister of Public Security Gideon Ezra expressed his commitment to continue effective enforcement against counterfeiting.
Six years ago, the Chambers of Commerce established a roof organization to combat counterfeiting and copyright infringement, and improve public and government awareness of the great domestic and international damage caused to Israeli companies from forgeries, as well as harm to consumers. The organization cooperates with the Israel Police.
The organization's figures indicates that the direct financial harm from forgeries at NIS 1.1 billion a year. It also estimates the loss in state revenues (VAT, customs, purchase tax, and income tax) from unreported sales of counterfeit goods at NIS 400 million. In addition, the business sector spent NIS 14 million in 2003 in combating counterfeiting.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on March 7, 2005