The independent testing, inspection and certification (TIC) sector provides third-party conformity assessment as an essential component to streamline market access controls by surveillance and customs officials, while also reducing the risk of counterfeited products entering the market. This ensures both safety for consumers and cost-efficiency measures for manufacturers, as pre-market testing prevents products from accidental and/or intentional non-compliance.
However, as the new Regulation on market surveillance (EU) 2019/1020 starts to apply in 2021, it still does not go far enough for eradicating the circulation of counterfeits which jeopardise consumer safety.
The growth in E-commerce platforms has increased the incredibly alarming rise in criminal activity which capitalises on a widely accessible market and lack of traceability. Rogue operators innovate their methods and offers to appeal to the rise in demand for products ranging from children’s toys to medical devices. In 2019, the OECD/EUIPO reported that in 2016, the volume of international trade in counterfeit and pirated products could amount to as much as USD 509 billion. This represents up to 3.3 % of world trade.
Products bearing counterfeit certification marks or falsified test reports can pose serious dangers to consumers as well as their environment. Manufacturers and distributors who bypass the proper testing and certification requirements jeopardise consumer safety and trust.
To tackle the issues stemming from an increasingly globalised market; regulators, industry, consumer organisations, standard-makers and test laboratories must cooperate to share experiences and establish effective action. TIC Council is determined to increase the visibility concerning counterfeits and guide the public and authorities in identifying and dealing with fake documentation and what constitutes legitimate certification marks.
To shed additional clarity on this topic and to help authorities, right holders, consumers organisations in this fight against anti-counterfeiting criminality, TIC Council has drafted a White Paper entitled ‘Falsified: Test Reports & Certificates. Identification and Impact of Counterfeit Test Reports and Certificates in the Global Marketplace’.
You can read the White Paper by following the link here.
About TIC Council
TIC Council is a global association representing over 90 international independent third-party testing, inspection, certification, and verification organizations. The industry represents an estimated one million employees across the world with annual sales of approximately USD 200 billion.
TIC Council
Rue du Commerce 20/22
B-1000 Brussels
tel: +32 2 5115065
email: lmartin@tic-council.org
website: www.tic-council.org