BRUSSELS, Jan 18: The European Union is to beef up the powers of its customs authorities next week to stem a huge inflow of counterfeit goods, EU officials said on Saturday.

According to the European Commission, the number of pirated goods seized by EU customs soared 900 per cent between 1998 and 2001. In 2001 customs seized more than 100 million counterfeit articles, worth around two billion euros.

New rules to be unveiled by the EU executive on Monday will expand the number of goods that can be seized and allow customs officials to search more extensively travellers’ luggage.

The regulation is aimed at tackling pirate imports into the European Union. It will make the system work better, an EU source told Reuters.

The regulation is part of a two-tier strategy to be complemented on January 30 by tougher anti-piracy measures to crack down on the $4.3 billion a year world pirate discs market.

It would allow customs to seize for checks a new range of goods, such as those defined by geographical indications or designation of origins, such as champagne or Parma ham.

Patented breeds of plants would also fall under the rules.

The music industry, which estimates that nearly 50 per cent of all CDs sold worldwide are illegal copies, has been very vocal in calling for tougher EU rules against counterfeiting.

Spain, Italy and Greece are deemed to be the most affected EU countries, with music piracy rates between 25 and 50pc.

The Independent Music Companies Association (IMPALA), regretted, however, that the Commission had been slow in tackling counterfeiting while swift EU action was taken against money laundering.

Everybody suffers when there is no respect for intellectual property, IMPALA’s secretary general Philippe Kern said.

This is a matter that has not been taken seriously enough at high political level.

The rules will update a regulation from 1994 and directly come into force in the 15-nation bloc once approved by EU member states and the European Parliament.—Reuters