Officials from the European Commission and US government have met in Geneva to review progress in the crackdown on counterfeiting and piracy. EU and US authorities are expanding their efforts to combat the increasing economic damage and the health and safety hazards posed by fake products. Customs officials from both regions are jointly targeting consignments of shipments suspected to be containing counterfeit goods.

EU Commissioner Peter Mandelson, responsible for trade policy, said, "Protection of intellectual property rights is vital for European competitiveness and part of our defence against dangerous fakes. Europe’s joint work with the US sends a clear signal to the intellectual property pirates that we won’t tolerate counterfeiting."

Under the strategy, International Property Rights (IPR) experts in Brussels and Washington have established regular contact with embassies in key countries where problems arise, such as China and Russia. The G8 and the OECD have also backed a renewed campaign to tackle intellectual property theft and the two governments are working together to ensure that these campaigns will have positive results. They have also joined forces to provide training and technical assistance to countries in South America, Asia and Eastern Europe relating to the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights.