Anti-Counterfeiting
Counterfeiting is a dangerous and growing problem for all industries, including the plant science industry. Counterfeiting of plant science products brings to bear a range of negative effects for the industry, farmers and the environment.
These negative impacts of counterfeit pesticides include:
- economic ruin for the farmer; potential loss of harvest due to use of an ineffective counterfeit
- discouragement to honest local entrepreneurs from investing in legitimate product development
- hampering of investment, employment, technology transfer and tax revenues
- the potential harm to the environment as counterfeits are not tested for safety (whereas legal products are extensively tested before they are authorized and fulfill strict requirements)
- risk that buyers of export crops will boycott crops treated with counterfeit pesticides thus posing an economic risk to countries relying on export crops
The effect of counterfeiting is that it could eliminate the incentive for plant science companies to continue to invest considerable time and money in the development of new technologies that can help assure global food security and alleviate hunger and poverty. Furthermore, counterfeit pesticides risk the health and safety of workers and farmers.
The plant science industry is committed to innovation and delivery of state-of the-art products to the world’s farmers, and thereby increase food security and encourage social development. We work with police, customs and regulators for the implementation and enforcement of intellectual property rights to ensure that only authentic crop protection products are traded and used in a safe, responsible manner.
Anti-Counterfeiting: Third Party Publications
Third party publications dedicated to counterfeit and illegal pesticides: |
Third party publications on legitimate delivery supply chains avoiding counterfeiters: |
Global: New Digital Technologies to Tackle Trade in Illegal Pesticides Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Trade and Environment Working Papers, No. 2020/02 |
Global: Know Your Customer International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Business Alliance to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP) |
Global: Adoption of Council Recommendation on Countering the Illegal Trade of Pesticides Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Network on Illegal Trade of Pesticides (ONIP) |
Global: Roles and Responsibilities of Intermediaries, Fighting Counterfeiting and Piracy in the Supply Chain International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP), pages 26, 32, 39 -41 |
Global: Best Practice Guidance to Identify Illegal Trade of Pesticides Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Network on Illegal Trade of Pesticides (ONIP) |
School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University |
Global: Illicit Pesticides, Organized Crime and Supply Chain Integrity United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) |
Global: US Government Joint Strategic Plan on Intellectual Property Enforcement (FY2017 – 2019) The Office of the IPR Enforcement Coordinator, Executive Office of the President, pages 38, 111 – 113 |
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) |
Global: Declaration of Intent to prevent the maritime transportation International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Bascap (Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy), brand owners, and maritime transport industry |
EU: Ad-hoc study on the trade of illegal and counterfeit pesticides in the EU (executive summary) Submitted to the European Commission, DG Health & Food Safety |
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Ukraine: Counteraction to Counterfeit and Contraband Pesticides, Methodology Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) within the Environmental and Security Initiative (ENVSEC) |
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India: Study on Sub-Standard, Spurious/Counterfeit Pesticides in India Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) |
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EU: The Economic Cost of IPR Infringement in the Pesticides Sector European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) |
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Mali: Fraudulent pesticides in West Africa International Journal of Pest Management |
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West Africa: Regulating agricultural intensification Lessons from West Africa’s rapidly growing pesticide markets, Development Policy Review |
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Brazil: The Illegal Market for Agricultural Pesticides in Brazil Institute for Economic and Social Development of Borders (IDESF) |
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Africa: Counterfeiting in African Agriculture Inputs – Challenges & Solutions Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in collaboration with Monitor Deloitte |
CropLife International is a member of the following anti-counterfeiting organizations:
- REACT, Anti Counterfeiting Network
- OECD Task Force on Charting Illicit Trade
- INTA (International Trademarks Association)
- Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade (TRACIT), Alliance Partner