DFWC and TFWA launch position paper: Tackling illicit trade, counterfeiting & intellectual property theft

The Duty Free World Council (DFWC), the global voice for the duty free and travel retail industry, and Tax Free World Association (TFWA), the association that brings together 520 supplier companies to the duty free and travel retail industry, have released a position paper on tackling illicit trade, counterfeiting, and intellectual property theft.

The paper sets out the disproportionate and unfair impact illicit trade has on duty- and tax-free channels through fraudulent labelling by criminals and in terms of lost sales opportunities. It calls on national governments and cross-border enforcement agencies to work with industry to put an end to the practice.

In addition to warning consumers of the dangers of illicit goods and how to distinguish genuine duty-free products from falsely labelled ones, the position paper recommends:

1. Better regulation of informal and casual retail channels; such as street stalls and markets, and for the robust implementation of existing rules
2. Greater control over Free Trade Zones (FTZs) & Special Economic Zones; with a common approach to enforcement to prevent the emergence of illicit trade hot-spots
3. Help educating consumers; to build on industry-led initiatives such as the duty-free-club.ru website
4. Investigation of duty-free specific issues; such as fraudulent mislabelling, an emerging trend among criminals
5. Enhanced cooperation between industry and enforcement bodies; to tackle the “common enemy” that is illicit trade

>> Click here to read the full position paper.