|
CEPS to observe
International Customs Day
Accra, Jan. 25 GNA - The Customs, Excise and Preventive
Service (CEPS) would join other Customs administrations
worldwide to celebrate the International Customs Day on
January 26, 2007.
The theme for this year is: "No To Piracy and
Counterfeiting."
A statement issued in Accra and signed by Ms Annie Anipa,
Assistant Commissioner and Head of Public Relations, said
the focus of the international customs community was to
create awareness among the consumers and decision makers to
the harmful effects that counterfeiting could have on
businesses, the economy, public health and consumer
confidence.
It also said the growing trade in pirated and counterfeited
goods were a cause of concern for governments and its impact
on public health and the economy was devastating.
The statement said trade in pirated and counterfeited goods
has increased tremendously over the past decade and it was
causing extensive damage to global trade and national
economies.
It said information cited from Pharmaceutical Security
Institute showed that trade in medicines that had been
fraudulently produced and mislabelled to make them look
genuine was on the increase leading to death, disease and
disability.
The World Customs Organisation (WCO) further called on
member countries to use their customs administrations
because of their strategic positions at the frontiers and
authority to intercept the counterfeit goods to curb the
menace.
The WCO, which is currently made up of 170 member countries
controls more than 98 per cent of the world trade.
GNA
|
