Incidents reported last week include a massive seizure of counterfeit goods by EU customs including 135 million fake cigarettes, and hundreds of thousands of other fake items…Seizures of counterfeit luxury goods and clothing have also taken place in China and the US…Counterfeit films, music and software have been seized in many countries including Australia, Italy, Canada and Pakistan…In a number of countries legal action has been taken against people involved in piracy via person-to-person file sharing networks.

Policy developments reported last week include a new modern drug testing lab being set up in Pakistan to combat counterfeit and spurious pharmaceuticals…In Dubai counterfeiters now face double or triple the fines previously received, and similarly in Kuwait, lawyers are calling for enhanced fines and penalties for IP violators… In Russia the Minister of Economic Development and Trade presented four new initiatives for fighting piracy and copyright violations…In China the Administration of Industry and Commerce has banned the unauthorized sale of 20 international name brands in more than 600 clothing and small merchandise markets in Shanghai…and the Ghana Association of Phonographic Industry is to set up an anti-piracy task force.

Studies reported last week reveal that in 2006 China seized more than 73 million pirated products…In the US the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice have issued a report on Antitrust and Intellectual Property Rights.