The aim of this workshop was to outline to the authorities in the EU and the Chinese authorities, the problems that we as the engineering industry face today, to listen to what they are doing and to try and trace together a path for countering this ever-increasing threat to companies and to consumers. In addition, the workshop demonstrated how companies, both large and small, are already fighting the problem today.

Orgalime encouraged the European authorities and member states to get tougher on counterfeiting, both in the internal market and internationally. The industry presentations (Session I) showed that counterfeiting is not only a problem for luxury products but is a serious and rapidly growing problem for European engineering companies, with implications far beyond the brand image: the safety and health of consumers are also often at stake.

Orgalime welcomed the initiatives that have already been taken by the European and Chinese authorities (Session II) and asked in particular for:

• more rapid action on counterfeiting, such as a directive which strengthens the means for enforcing intellectual property rights, training activities for custom and law enforcement authorities, and awareness-raising campaigns directed at companies and consumers.
• a community patent and a community design allowing companies to protect their products throughout the EU by virtue of a single registration.
• less complicated legal protection against "trade dress counterfeits". At present, each EU member state has its own legal system in this regard.
• better market surveillance both at the borders and in the internal market.
• a more aggressive Commission approach on a multilateral and bilateral level. The Commission should give priority to combating counterfeiting and piracy in the enlargement negotiations.

At the same time, Orgalime accepts that holders of intellectual property rights have primary responsibility for combating counterfeiting. Therefore in Session III, successful ways of dealing with the problem at source and at the borders were presented.

Finally, associations can also play an important role in helping companies combat counterfeiting. Orgalime committed itself to promoting collaboration between companies and the authorities by working on sectoral databases, in order to verify the cost of counterfeiting to the industry and to provide the authorities with the information which they need in order to act. Orgalime will also be issuing a guide to manufacturers on what direct action they should take to protect their intellectual property rights in the market. Both initiatives were promoted in Session IV of the workshop.

A position paper detailing Orgalime's position, a press release and a fact sheet were distributed at the workshop.

• calls on WTO members to fully apply the TRIPs agreement and reminds WTO candidate countries that compliance is a prerequisite for membership.
• a community patent and a community design allowing companies to protect their products throughout the EU by virtue of a single registration.
• will continue to undertake bilateral steps with China and other countries where counterfeiting is widespread.
• will strengthen surveillance on the internal market to track down counterfeited products that might have slipped past borders.

Reference was made to ongoing Commission activities, such as the:

• Strategy for the Customs Union (November 2004).
• Proposal for a Council Regulation on a genuine, single, EU-wide patent to improve the protection of innovation in the Community.