The suspension of clearance of counterfeit goods carried out by the Chilean National Customs Service increased by 47,21% this year. The procedures are concentrated in Arica, Iquique, Valparaíso, San Antonio and Talcahuano, with the increase in the value of the products being notable, the statement says.
Chile, Bolivia and Peru
The information was provided by the head of Online Inspection of the Sub-directorate of Inspection of the National Customs Service, Carlos Escudero, during the “International Seminar on Intellectual Property Rights"which takes place this Wednesday (17.10.2018) in Arica with the participation of experts from Chile, Peru and Bolivia with the sponsorship of the The Anti-Counterfeiting Network (REACT).
The opening of the day was led by the regional ministerial secretary of Finance of Arica and Parinacota, Pablo Arancibia; the Regional Director of Customs of Arica, Hugo Yávar; and the coordinator for Latin America of REACT, Estela de Luca.
Public service officials and experts from Chile, Peru and Bolivia are participating in the activity. In addition to training on new ways of detecting counterfeit products, they will analyze work methodologies and good practices to combat this global crime.
In this regard, Carlos Escudero explained that the National Customs Service works in various areas to ensure fair trade and the protection of citizens. In this context, there are integrated audit plans to address the issue of intellectual property and this year, record figures have been recorded.
Facts & figures
"If we compare the first 9 months of 2018 with the same period in 2017, we have a positive variation of 47,21%. in the amount of goods that were subject to suspension of dispatch. And another relevant fact is that these goods have a value 209,28% higher".
In fact, during 2017, 4.345.782 products were seized for a value of US$ 27 million, while this year the figure is 6.397.392 products for a value of US$ 84 million. The difference is explained, adds Escudero, by the detection of accessories for cell phones and vehicles, as well as game consoles and even medicines.
"Although toys have historically led the number of seizures in terms of volume and amount, today other items linked to technology and even cosmetics are appearing," said Escudero.
In turn, the regional minister of Finance, Pablo Arancibia, highlighted the government's efforts to combat all types of illicit activity, especially in matters related to smuggling and intellectual property.
networking
Meanwhile, REACT's coordinator for Latin America, Estela de Luca, praised the networking work carried out by customs authorities around the world, and in particular the Chilean customs authorities, with their counterparts in Peru and Bolivia.
"At the Latin American level, Chile's performance is very good and this type of seminar is very important. The most relevant thing about Chile is the proactivity of its customs authorities and the number of procedures they have in different ports," said de Luca.
Public-private cooperation
The Executive Secretary of the Illicit Trade Observatory (OCI) of the Chamber of Commerce, Nicole Kuppenheim, considered the event as an example of public-private cooperation, also highlighting the leadership assumed by Chilean Customs in dealing with this issue and the possibility of learning about the realities of other countries.
Community Safety
Likewise, the regional head of the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property (Indecopi) of Peru, Marcos Oliva Portugual, emphasized the advantages of coordinated responses to achieve optimal and efficient results in favor of community security.
"In the case of the Customs of Chile and Peru, it is a very positive work because we understand that there is a level of coordination"This allows us to have information about the product that enters through different Chilean ports and that is destined for Peru or the Tacna region, as well as its transit and where it is going in order to be able to intervene in that cargo," said Marcos Oliva Portugual.
Finally, the Regional Director of the Arica Customs, Hugo Yávar, referred to the impact that this type of illicit activity has on society, "because in addition to the economic damage that may have repercussions on tariff rates or barriers, “This has a negative impact on society by damaging public confidence and endangering the health of consumers.”
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