06 DECEMBER 2016: BRUSSELS

CAIT calls for policy makers to fight illicit trade by setting open standards for tracking, tracing and authentication

Today the Coalition Against Illicit Trade (CAIT) launches a new white paper calling for legislators to heed recommendations on optimal tracking, tracing and authentication systems to combat illicit trade and counterfeiting.

According to the most recent European Commission findings 40 million products suspected of violating an intellectual property right were detained at the EU's external borders, with a total value of nearly €650million. These products not only rob European governments of valuable tax revenues and put often dangerous and sub-standard products in consumers’ hands but also a primary funding mechanism for organised crime and even terrorism.

CAIT is comprised of some of Europe’s most experienced supply chain service providers, whose hands-on experience has helped identify the barriers to and the enabling conditions for the adoption of innovative solutions matching business and public policy needs.

In its White Paper on ‘Governance and Data Management for Cross-Border Tracking Tracing and Authentication Systems’ the Coalition argues that businesses and public authorities have both a crucial role to play. It believes that a key measure for defeating illicit trade is defining Track & Trace & Authentication standards which can be easily integrated into business operations while ensuring the interoperability of the system across the supply chain and national borders.

This is especially important as smuggled goods typically involve several economic operators – from manufacturing to retailers – and cross multiple borders. A national or regional system can only be effective if it works with others across the globe.

CAIT’s members advocate that manufacturers and brand owners should be given the opportunity to select competitive and innovative solutions that best meet their needs, within a framework of recognised technical standards, which can operate across different technological platforms and geographies. They are the parties best placed to most accurately judge which equipment matches the needs of the products they produce, without unduly disrupting the production and distribution flow from origin to market.

Thomas Gering, CAIT’s member and President of the Board at Nano4U said:

“We are proud to support the Coalition Against Illicit Trade and to have contributed to this second White Paper. As legislatures across the globe look at fighting the issue of smuggled and counterfeited goods they must see the value that comes from effectively partnering with industry.

We, along with other members of CAIT, are continually developing our technology to most effectively help business and public authorities to fight the criminal perpetrators of the illicit trade. Regulatory standards should enable rather than hinder innovation and open market competition among service providers. We hope this paper best explains the drivers for the adoption of technical standards that match business and public policy needs.”

ENDS

For more information please contact: Callum Laidlaw Phone: +44 203 219 8802 media@coalitionagainstillicittrade.org.  Or visit http://www.coalitionagainstillicittrade.org/

About CAIT: The Coalition members includes Aegate, Atos Worldline, ArjoSolution, Domino, Essentra, FATA Logistic Systems, Fracturecode, Nano4U, ScanTrust and Viditrust.