WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  IP/C/W/471 
9 June 2006 
 
 (06-2746) 
Council for Trade-Related Aspects 
of Intellectual Property Rights Original:   English/ 
 French 
 
 
 
ENFORCING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS:  BORDER MEASURES 
 
Communication from the European Communities  
 
 
 The following communication, dated 14 March 2006, is being circulated at the request of the Delegation of the European Communities.  It was circulated as an advance copy for the Council's meeting of 14-15 March 2006.    
 
_______________ 
 
 
I. INTRODUCTION 
1. Counterfeiting and piracy are forms of fraud that evolve constantly to adapt to the 
effectiveness of controls by, in particular, the customs authorities. 
2. Whether it is the nature of the objects infringing an intellectual property right, the 
transportation routes used by fraudulent goods, the fra ud methods deployed or the very structure of 
the international organizations trafficking in these goods, these phenomena can only be understood as 
part of a problem in constant evolution. 
3. To be effective, the legal remedies availa ble to WTO Members and which enable customs 
services to tackle these phenomena more effectively must also evolve, to keep pace with these forms 
of trafficking.  However, since April 1994 and th e Marrakesh Agreements, th ere has been no change 
in the specific rules concerning border measures whereas the number of counterfeit items seized by 
customs at the external frontiers of the Europ ean Union (EU) has increased by more than 1000%, 
rising from 10 million in 1998 to over 103 million in 2004 (see in annex statistics on customs 
intervention at the EU border in 2004). 
II. SCOPE OF ARTICLE 51 OF THE TRIPS AGREEMENT 
4. The binding nature of this Article determ ining the scope of customs control expressly 
concerns only the suspension of release for free circ ulation.  Consequently, the Article applies in a 
mandatory way only to the importation of goods pr otected by certain specific intellectual property 
rights, namely counterfeit trademark or pirated co pyright goods.  The Article leaves to Members the 
option of deciding if imports of goods infringing othe r intellectual property rights also fall under these 
provisions, as it leaves the possibility of applying this measure to exports. 
5. The official statistics published by the European Commission in the annual report on customs 
action against counterfeiting and piracy show, for in stance, that almost 70% of the 103 million items 
seized in 2004 were in transhipment and/or transit. IP/C/W/471 
Page 2  
 
  6. Of the 22,000-plus cases detected by the cust oms authorities in 2004, the 2,200 or so cases 
involving transit and/or transhipment operations acc ounted for almost 70% of the total number of 
items seized. 
7. This finding suggests moreover that the trans it and transhipment operations chiefly involved 
quite considerable volumes. 
8. Another particularly telling detail is the fact that, in the Community customs territory, second 
place in the ranking of intellectual property rights most often infringed is held by patent rights 
(over 16 million items seized by customs in 2004).  Ye t patent rights are currently not expressly inside 
the scope of Article 51 of the TRIPS Agreement.  Article 51 leaves to the discretion of Members to 
envisage suspension measures for other intellectual pr operty rights and does not ensure the combat to 
infringements of rights covering certain essential products. 
III. TRENDS IN THE GEOPOLITICS OF FRAUD 
9. As with drug trafficking, the international fraud rings increasingly investing in counterfeiting 
and piracy attempt to conceal the true origin of  the goods by having consignments transit through 
different countries.  A cargo of "fakes" will often cross three or four borders between the area of 
production and the area of final destination. 
10. This change in strategy is attributable to the f act that the true origin of the goods is one of the 
main criteria used by the customs administrations when analysing risk.  By using different customs 
territories, and in some cases different modes of tran sport, the fraudsters try to conceal the origin 
and/or true destination of the goods. 
11. Another possible explanation takes more acc ount of the imperatives of the international 
freight. 
12. There are relatively few direct air or shipping  links between the main geographical area of 
production of counterfeits and the de veloping or least-developed countries that are the counterfeiters' 
main markets.  There are almost no direct links between Asia and Africa or between Asia and South America, which forces fraud rings to have th eir consignments transit through a number of other 
countries from which counterfeit goods can be rerouted to their final destination. 
13. Whereas Community customs law allows the 25 me mber States' customs administrations to 
control consignments in transhipme nt and transit, this is not the case for most of the EU's trading 
partners. 
IV. THE NEED TO PROTECT HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PEOPLE ALL OVER THE 
WORLD  
14. At a recent meeting in Rome (February 2006) , the World Health Organization (WHO) called 
for immediate action to tackle th e growing problem of counterfeit me dicines, which were reckoned to 
account for almost 10% of world trade in medici nes.  The WHO has set up a working party to 
improve legislation and laws  on counterfeiting and piracy. 
15. Of 800,000 or so counterfeit medicines seized by customs at the EU's external frontiers 
in 2004, more than twice as many as the year be fore, the lion's share was destined for the least-
developed countries.  It would seem, moreover, that such medicines are sometimes reimported into the EU by post via Internet traders.  The same modus operandi and conseque nces can be found in the 
trade in spare parts for motor vehicles.  IP/C/W/471 
 Page 3 
 
 
  16. In the EU, the counterfeiting of medicines has also undergone considerable mutations owing 
to the multiplication of customs controls.  Increasingly often, commercial shipments are being discovered to contain hundreds of kilos of products  infringing patent rights, whereas a while back 
they would have infringed trademark rights. 
V. CONCLUSION 
17. The dramatic growth in counterfeiting and piracy seen in recent years calls for an 
international response commensurate with the dangers they represent. 
18. Enabling customs administrations to control exports of products infringing intellectual 
property rights would very often enable the trade flow  to be cut off at the s ource.  Subsequently, for 
those products that nevertheless escaped the first control, enabling the customs administrations of 
WTO Member countries to control such goods in the course of transport woul d be a highly effective 
measure. 
19. Free zones and duty-free shops in major ports and airports in some countries have become a 
haven for counterfeiting and piracy.  The same applies to certain commercial areas which thrive thanks to imported products and take a major ro le in the world wholesale trade and counterfeit 
distribution. 
20. Lastly, confining the scope of customs interv ention to trademark or copyright goods is no 
longer appropriate, given the nature of trafficki ng.  Fraud rings have ad apted to international 
legislation and, when laundering m oney, now prefer to c ounterfeit patents, geogra phical indications or 
plant varieties in the knowledge that international law lets them do so. 
21. The European Communities would like an in -depth discussion with WTO Members on the 
basis of this document. 
_______________  
  IP/C/W/471 
Page 4 BREAKDOWN OF THE NUMBER OF CASES  REGISTERED AND THE NUMBER OF 
ARTICLES SEIZED BY PRODUCT TYPE - EU - 2004 
Product type Number of cases registered by 
Customs % Number of articles 
seized % Comparison 
2003-2004 of  the number of 
articles  
Foodstuffs, alcoholic and other drinks 53 0% 4.432.161 4% +197% 
Perfumes and cosmetics 214 1% 784.268 1% -22% 
Clothing and accessories 13.928 63% 7.827.951 8% +102% 
 a) Sportswear 4.070 29% 1.017.597 13% +142% 
 b) Other clothing (…) 4.516 32% 1.572.446 20% +22% 
c) Clothing accessories (bags, sunglasses…) 5.342 39% 5.237.908 67% +144% 
Electrical equipment 829 4% 4.225.202 4% +707% 
Computer equipment (hardware) 122 1% 793.149 1% +899% 
Audio CDs, games, software, DVDs etc 2.785 12% 18.523.664 18% -43% 
Watches and jewellery 2.201 10% 491.588 0% -27% 
Toys and games 517 2% 18.106.924 17% +47% 
Other goods  1.346 6% 6.773.242 7% +6% 
Cigarettes 316 1% 41.588.030 40% +25% 
TOTAL EU 22.311 100% 103.546.179 100% +12% 
  
   IP/C/W/471
 Page 5BREAKDOWN OF THE NUMBER OF CASES BY ORIGIN OF GOODS 
EXPRESSED AS % - (EU) 2004  
Foodstuffs, alcoholic and other drinks Russia 
13% Ukraine 13% Dominican Rep 
9% Nigeria  
6% USA  
6% Hungary 
4% Argentina  
4% Others 
 45% 
Perfumes and cosmetics United Arab 
Emirates 
15% Turkey  
14% USA 
 8% China  
 7% Poland  
5% Slovakia  
4% France  
3% Others  
44% 
Clothing and accessories China  
29% Thailand 
25% Turkey  
9% Hong Kong, 
China 6% USA  
4% Morocco 
3% India 
2% Others  
22% 
 a) Sportswear Thailand 
34% China 
31% Hong Kong, 
China 
5% Philippines 
4% Malaysia 
3% Turkey 
3% USA 
3% Others 
17% 
 b) Other clothing  Thailand 
28% China 
18% Turkey 
16% Hong Kong, 
China 
7% USA 
5% India 
4% Pakistan 3% Others 
19% 
c) Clothing accessories (bags,   sunglasses…) China 
38% Thailand 
16% Turkey 
7% Hong Kong, 
China 
7% USA  
5% Morocco 
4% Algeria 
3% Others 
20% 
Electrical equipment China  
50% Hong Kong, 
China 18% United Arab 
Emirates 10% Turkey 
 10% Thailand 
3% Chinese 
Taipei 
 2% Russia 
1% Others 
 6% 
Computer equipment (hardware) China  
37% Hong Kong, 
China 25% Russia 
 7% United Arab 
Emirates 6% Korea 
 6% Chinese 
Taipei 
3% Japan  
2% Others 
 14% 
Audio CDs, games, software, DVDs etc.  China 
26% Thailand  
21% Malaysia 
 9% Pakistan 
 8% Indonesia 6% Hong Kong, 
China 
5% Belgium 3% Others 
 22% 
Watches and jewellery China 
23% Hong Kong, 
China 21% Thailand  
11% USA 
 10% Malaysia 
7% Turkey 
 6% Morocco  
2% Others  
20% 
Toys and games China 
 50% Thailand 
14% 
 Hong Kong, 
China 11% Viet Nam 
 9% USA 
 6% Chinese 
Taipei 
 2% United Arab 
Emirates 2% Others 
 6% 
Other goods  China 
 44% India 
 11% Hong Kong, 
China 
7% Thailand 
6% Turkey 
6% USA 
4% United Arab 
Emirates 
4% Others 
 18% 
Cigarettes Poland 
35% China 
23% Ukraine 
 7% Russia 
4% Belarus  
4% United Arab 
Emitates  3% Philippines 
2% Others  
22% 
TOTAL EU China  
30% Thailand 
20% Hong Kong, 
China 8% Turkey 
 7% USA 
4% Malaysia 
 3% India  
2% Others 
 26%  
  IP/C/W/471 
Page 6 BREAKDOWN OF THE NUMBER OF ARTICLES  SEIZED BY ORIGIN OF GOODS 
EXPRESSED AS % - (EU) 2004  
Foodstuffs, alcoholic and other drinks India  
67% Philippines  
21% Tunisia  
3,5% Turkey  
2,5% Ukraine 
 1,5% Greece  
1% Bosnia-
Herzegovina 
1% Others  
2,5% 
Perfumes and cosmetics EU  
19% Romania  
18% United Arab 
Emirate 15% China 
11% Poland 
8% India  
5% Viet Nam 
3% Others  
21% 
Clothing and accessories China  
59% Thailand  
7% Turkey  
5% Pakistan  
4% India  
4% Hong Kong, 
China  
2% Viet Nam 
2% Others  
17% 
 a) Sportswear China 
51% Pakistan 
8% Switzerland 
8% Hong Kong, 
China 
6% Romania 
4% Malaysia 
3% Thailand 
2% Others 
18% 
 b) Other clothing  China 
37% Turkey 
20% UK 
6% Bulgaria 
4% Pakistan 
4% Thailand 
4% Viet Nam 
3% Others 
22% 
c) Clothing accessories (bags, 
sunglasses…) China 
68% Thailand 
9% India 
5% Pakistan 
3% Chinese Taipei 
2% United Arab 
Emirates 
2% Hong Kong, 
China 
2% Others 
9% 
Electrical equipment China  
87% Hong Kong, 
China  
6% Turkey 
2,5% United Arab 
Emirates 
1,5% Finland  
0,5% Chinese Taipei 
0,5% Hungary  
0,5% Others  
1,5% 
Computer equipment (hardware) Gibraltar 
62% China  
16% UK 
7% Russia 
7% Hong Kong, 
China  
5% Germany  
0,5% United Arab 
Emirates 
0,5% Others  
2% 
Audio CDs, games, software, DVDs etc Chinese 
Taipei 41% China  
32% Hong Kong, 
China  
11% Malaysia 
7% Pakistan  
2% Thailand  
1,5% Singapore  
1% Others  
4,5% 
Watches and jewellery China  
54% Hong Kong, 
China  
28% Italy 
 4,5% Austria  
3% Thailand  
2,5% Turkey  
1,5% India 
1% Others 6,5% 
Toys and games China  
97% Austria 
1,5% Hong Kong, 
China 
0,5% USA  
0,5% Others  
0,5%       
Other goods  China  
59% Spain  
10% Hong Kong, 
China  
10% Indonesia  
8% India  
3% Romania  
2% Turkey  
1% Others  
7%  
   IP/C/W/471
 Page 7BREAKDOWN OF THE NUMBER OF ARTICLES  SEIZED BY ORIGIN OF GOODS 
EXPRESSED AS % - (EU) 2004  
Cigarettes China  
47% United Arab 
Emirates 7% Gambia  
6,5% Romania 
 4% Greece 
 2% Ukraine 
1,5% USA  
1% Others  
31% 
TOTAL EU China  
54% Chinese 
Taipei  
7,5% India  
3,5% Hong Kong, 
China  
3% United Arab 
Emirates 3% Gambia  
2,5% Romania 
2% Others 24,5% 
 IP/C/W/471 
Page 8  
 
  Breakdown of the number of cases by origin of 
goods expressed as % - EU 2004
30%
20%
8%7%
4%3%2%26%
0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%
China Tha iland Hong
Kong,
ChinaTurkey USA Malaysia India Others
Origin country%
 
 
Breakdown of the number of articles seized by 
origin of goods, expressed as % - (EU) 2004
54%
7,5%
3,5% 3% 3% 2,5% 2%24,5%
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%
China Chinese
TaipeiIndia Hong
Kong,
ChinaUnite d
Arab
Em ir ate sG a mb i a R o ma n i a O t h ers
Origin Country%
  
   IP/C/W/471
 Page 9BREAKDOWN OF THE NUMBER OF CASES, EXPRESSED AS %,  
BY TRADEMARK AND PRODUCT TYPE (EU)) - 2004  
Foodstuffs, alcoholic and 
other drinks Coca Cola 
13%  Nestlé  
13%  Spirits 
Products 
International 
13%   AS Kalev 
6% Champagne 
4%  Knorr 
4%  Brugal 
4%  Others 
43%  
Perfumes and cosmetics Hugo Boss 
14%  Chanel 
5%  C. Dior 
5%  Gucci 
4%  Joop! 
4%  Lancôme  
4%  Armani 
3%  Others 
61%  
Clothing and accessories  Nike  
23% Vuitton 
12%  Adidas 
9%  Diesel 
6%  Puma  
5%  C. Dior  
4%  Gucci 
4%  Others 
37%  
a) Sportswear Nike 
52% Adidas 
23% Puma 
12% Diesel 
2% Lacoste 
1% Reebok 
1% Umbro 
1% Others 
8% 
b) Other clothing (…) Diesel 
14% Ralph Lauren 
11% Lacoste 
5% Nike 
5% Boss 
4% Burberry 
4% Von Dutch 
4% Others 
53% 
c) Clothing accessories (bags, sunglasses…) Vuitton 
29% Nike 
16% C. Dior 
8% Gucci 
8% Adidas 
3% Burberry 
3% Chanel 
3% Others 
30% 
Electrical equipment  Nokia 
43% Sisvel 
9%  Philips 
7%  Siemens 
6%  Motorola 
5%  Panasonic 
3%  Sony 
3%  Others 
24%  
Computer equipment 
(hardware)  Hewlett 
Packard 
32% Sisvel 
27%  Canon 
6%  Epson 
5%  Microsoft 
5%  Nokia 
5%  Sony 
3%  Others 
17%  
Audio CDs, games, 
software, DVDs etc. FACT 
30%  BPI 
4%  Philips 
4%  Nintendo 
3%  IFPI 
2%  DVD Format 
1%  Others 
56%   
Watches and jewellery  Rolex 
27%  Breitling  
9% Gucci 
4%  Cartier 
4%  Ferrari 
3%  Omega 
3%  Vuitton 
3%  Others 
47%  
Toys and games  Nintendo 
30%  Disney 
10% Konami 
6%  Marvel 
4%  Sony 
4%  Daimler 
3%  Ferrari 
3%  Others 
40%  
Other goods   Pfizer 
15% Disney 
7%  Vuitton 
7%  Montblanc 
3%  Nokia 
3%  Bic 
2%  BMW 
2%  Others 
61%  
Cigarettes  Philip Morris 
39%  Reemtsma 
19% BAT 
18%  Imperial Tobacco 
14%  Gallaher 
2%  Others 
8%    
TOTAL EU Nike 
15% Vuitton 
8% Adidas 
6% Diesel 
4% FACT 
4% Dior 
3% Gucci 
3% Lauren 
3% Puma
3% Rolex
3% Others 
48%  
  IP/C/W/471 
Page 10 BREAKDOWN OF THE NUMBER OF ARTIC LES SEIZED, EXPRESSED AS %, 
BY TRADEMARK AND PRODUCT TYPE (EU)) - 2004  
Foodstuffs, alcoholic and other drinks Lipton 
67% Spirits 
Products 
International 
21% Coca Cola 
5% Knorr 
2% Pepsi 
1% Wunshe 
handgesellschaft 
1% Others 
7%  
Perfumes and cosmetics Beiersdorf 
AG 
37% Procter& 
Gamble 
8% L'Oréal 
7% Kenzo 
4% Lacoste 
4% Boss  
3% Bourjois 
3% Others  
34% 
Clothing and accessories  Vuitton 
12% Nike 
9%  Adidas 
8%  Diesel 
7%  Golden 
american 
6%  Boss 
4%  Puma 
3%   Others 
51% 
 a) Sportswear  Adidas  
27%  Nike 
26%  Puma 
11%  Calvin Klein 
7% Lee Cooper 
3%  Reebok 
3% Timberland 
3%  Others  
20% 
 b) Other clothing  Nike 
14%  Boss 
5%  Calvin Klein 
5%  Diesel 
4%  R. Lauren 
4%  Disney 
3%  Lacoste 
3%  Others 
62%  
c) Clothing accessories (bags, sunglasses…)  Vuitton 
18%  Diesel 
9%  Golden 
American 
9%  Adidas 
6%  Boss 
4%  Nike 
4%  Burberry 
3% Others 
64%  
Electrical equipment Philips 
31%  Nokia 
24%  Osram 
14%  Duracell 
8%  Konami 
3%  Siemens 
3%  Disney 
2%    
Computer equipment (hardware) Hewlett 
Packard 
72%  Samsung 
7%  Sisvel 
7%  Roadstar 
7%  Canon 
2%  Epson 
1% Intel 
1%    
Audio CDs, games, software, DVDs etc.   Philips 
82%  FACT 
9%  Philip Morris 
5%  MPA 
2%  BPI 
1%  Lucasfilm 
1%  Several 
1%   
Watches and jewellery  Rolex 
16%  Adidas 
12%  Gucci 
8%  Vuitton 
5%  Hilfiger 
4%  Casio 
3%  Disney 
3%   
Toys and games  Konami 
72%  Upper Desck 
21%  Disney 
2%  Hasbro 
1%  Snoopy 
1% Others 
3%      
Other goods   Duracell 
20%  Bic 
17%  Pfizer 
11%  Borras 
10%  Panasonic 
7%  Gillette 
3%  Montblanc 
3% Others 
29%  
Cigarettes Philip 
Morris 
47%  Imperial 
Tobacco 
25%  Gallaher 
10%  British 
American 
Tobacco 
7%  Seita 
2%  Others 
9%    
TOTAL EU  Philip 
Morris 
16% Philips 
15%  Konami 
13%  Imperial 
Tobacco 
10%  Gallaher 
4%  Upper 
Deck 
4%  Lipton 
3% Pfizer 
3%  Others 
32%  
  IP/C/W/471 
 Page 11 
 
 
  Breakdown of the number of cases by trademark, 
expressed as % - EU 2004
15%
8%6%4% 4%3% 3% 3% 3% 3%44%
0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%
Nike Vuitton Adidas Diesel FACT Dior Gucci Lauren Puma Rolex Autres
Trademark%
 
 
Breakdown of the number of articles seized by trademark, 
expressed as a % - EU 2004
16%15%13%
10%
4% 4%3% 3%32%
0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%
P hilip
M orrisP hilips Konami Imperial
TobaccoGallaher Upper
DeckLipton P fizer Others
Trademark%
 IP/C/W/471 
Page 12  
 
   
THE EVOLUTION OF THE NUMBER OF PROCEDURES 
AND THE NUMBER OF INTERCEPTED ARTICLES 
IN MEMBER STATES - PERIOD 2003/ 2004  
Member States 
Number of procedures % 
Number of intercepted articles % 
Year 2003 2004   2003 2004   
Germany 2.587 6.810 163% 13.889.111 15.038.436 + 8% 
Austria 331 1.327 301% 499.258 4.107.988 + 723% 
Belgium 830 929 12% 55.030.118 20.395.907 -63% 
Cyprus - 90 - - 157.690 - 
Denmark 515 544 6% 42.842 64.681 + 51% 
Spain 761 1.274 67% 5.575.529 8.757.546 + 57% 
Estonia - 102 - - 236.323 - 
Finland 170 135 -21% 1.607.802 705.615 -56% 
France 1.410 3.246 130% 1.134.897 1.828.021 + 61% 
Greece 9 68 656% 1.060.878 152.045 -86% 
Hungary - 140 - - 4.516.845 - 
Italy 297 1.190 301% 7.695.209 22.133.872 + 188% 
Ireland 347 675 95% 93.233 633.994 + 580% 
Latvia - 38 - - 167.014 - 
Lithuania - 27 - - 522.983 - 
Luxembourg 71 193 172% 163.610 412.908 + 152% 
Malta - 42 - - 2.632.397 - 
The 
Netherlands 905 1.794 98% 3.258.120 8.911.977 + 174% 
Poland - 361 - - 773.081 - 
Portugal 63 73 16% 250.105 222.162 -11% 
Czech Republic - 141 - - 934.348 - 
United 
Kingdom 2.017 2.535 26% 1.543.953 5.639.630 + 265% 
Slovakia - 14 - - 549.927 - 
Slovenia - 23 - - 942.143 - 
Sweden 396 540 36% 374.035 3.107.196 + 731% 
TOTAL 10.709 22.311 +108% 92.218.700 103.544.729 + 12% 
  IP/C/W/471 
 Page 13 
 
 
   
BREAKDOWN OF THE AREA OF LAW, COVERED UNDER 
REGULATION (EC) 3295/94, EXPRESSED AS A % OF 
THE NUMBER OF CASES – EU 2004  
Member States Trademarks Copyrights and
related rights Designs and 
models Patents and 
supplementary 
protection certificates Data not 
communicated 
Germany 95% 2% - 3%   
Austria 97% 3% - -   
Belgium 71% 28% - 1%   
Cyprus 97% 3% - -   
Denmark - 16% - 1% 83% 
Spain 85% 8% - 7%   
Estonia 89% 11% - -   
Finland 50% 7% - - 43% 
France 97% 1% 1% - 1% 
Greece 100% - - -   
Hungary 31% 61% 1% 1% 6% 
Italy - - - 100%   
Ireland 47% 53% - -   
Latvia 79% 18% 3% -   
Lithuania 93% 7% - -   
Luxembourg 83% 8% 9% -   
Malta 83% 17% - -   
The 
Netherlands 45% 54% - 1%   
Poland 83% 17% - -   
Portugal 64% 8% 26% - 2% 
Czech Republic 88% 5% - - 7% 
United 
Kingdom 100%         
Slovakia 93% 7% - -   
Slovenia 100%   - -   
Sweden 80% 10% 10% -   
TOTAL 74% 14% 2% 5% 5%  
  IP/C/W/471 
Page 14  
 
 
     
BREAKDOWN OF THE NUMBER AND % OF  CUSTOMS PROCEDURES – EU 2004  
Member States Import % IRR % Export % Transit % Custom 
warehouse % Re-exp. % NC* 
Germany 6035 89% 578 8% 1 0% - - - - 130 2% 1% 
Austria 1268 96% 50 4% - - - - 9 0% - -   
Belgium 701 75% - - 92 10% 132 14% - - - - 1% 
Cyprus nc nc nc nc nc nc nc nc nc nc nc nc 100% 
Denmark nc nc nc nc nc nc nc nc nc nc nc nc 100% 
Spain 1226 96% - - 1 - 27 3% 4 - 16 1%   
Estonia 67 66%     1 1% 20 19% 14 14% -     
Finland 23 17% - - 1 1% 111 82% -         
France 2921 90% 199 6% 6 0.5% 40 1% 76 2.5% - -   
Greece 46 68% - - - - 21 32% -         
Hungary 20 14% - - - - - -         86% 
Italy 983 83% 10 1% 8 1% 164 14% 12 1% 2 0%   
Ireland 673 100% - - - - - -           
Latvia 22 57% 3 8% 1 3% 12 32% -   -     
Lithuania 19 70% - - 1 4% 7 26% -   -     
Luxembourg 35 18% - - - - 158 82% -   -     
Malta 32 76% - - - - 10 24% -   -     
The 
Netherlands 1653 92% - - 3 - 86 5% -   52 3% 
  
Poland 91 25% - - 12 3% 18 5% 24 7% - - 60% 
Portugal 70 96% - - - - - - - - - - 4% 
Czech republic 138 98% - - 1 1% - - - - - - 1% 
United 
Kingdom 2535 100%                     
  
Slovakia 8 57% 1 7% - - 5 36% -   -     
Slovenia nc nc nc nc nc nc nc nc nc nc nc nc 100% 
Sweden 322 60% - - - - 1 0% 217 40% -     
TOTAL 18888 85% 841 4% 128 0.5% 812 3.5% 356 1.5% 200 1% 4.50% 
* NC: Not Communicated  IP/C/W/471 
 Page 15 
 
 
  COMPARISON OF NUMBER OF CASES  BY TYPE OF TRAFFIC -  
EU 2004  
 Type of traffic 
Member States Commercial % Passenger % NC* % 
Germany 5.889 86% 841 12% 80 2% 
Austria 124 9% 1.203 91%     
Belgium 543 58% 386 42%     
Cyprus 72 80% 18 20%     
Denmark 48 9% 496 91%     
Spain 925 73% 349 27%     
Estonia 89 87% 13 13%     
Finland 126 93% 9 7%     
France 767 24% 2.393 74% 86 2% 
Greece 68 100% 0 0%     
Hungary 98 70% 3 2% 39 28% 
Italy 1.094 92% 84 7% 12 1% 
Ireland 270 40% 404 60% 1   
Latvia 30 79% 8 21%     
Lithuania 24 89% 3 11%     
Luxembourg 193 100%         
Malta 20 48% 22 52%     
The 
Netherlands 711 40% 1.082 60% 1   
Poland 193 53% 121 34% 47 13% 
Portugal 73 100% 0 0%     
Czech republic 137 97% 2 2% 2 1% 
United 
Kingdom 2.384 94% 151 6%     
Slovakia 5 36% 6 43% 3 21% 
Slovenia 21 94% 2 6%     
Sweden 450 83% 90 17%     
TOTAL 14.354 64% 7.686 34% 271 2% 
 
                                                      
* NC:  Not communicated  
  IP/C/W/471 
Page 16 
 BREAKDOWN BY MEANS OF TRANSPORT US ED FOR THE CASES EXAMINED BY THE 
CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATI ON OF THE EU - 2004  
Train Air Sea Post Road NC   Member States 
No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %   
Germany  -   2263 33% 205 3% 3501 51% 755 11% 1% 
Austria 6 0% 47 4% 3 0% 1195 90% 76 6%  
Belgium - - 628 68% 63 7% 230 25% 8 1%  
Cyprus  -  - 34 38% 4 4% 3 3%  -  - 55% 
Denmark - - 197 36% 5 1% 334 62% 3 1%  
Spain 19 1% 562 44% 667 52% - - 26 2%  
Estonia 18 18% 25 25% 1 1% - - 58 56%  
Finland 18 13% 39 29% 70 52% 3 2% 5 4%  
France 35 1% 2795 82% 139 7% 156 5% 122 4%  
Greece 2 3% 9 13% 31 46% 9 13% 14 21% 4% 
Hungary 8 6% 12 9% 1 1% - - 80 57% 27% 
Italy 56 5% 480 40% 552 46%  -   99 9%  
Ireland - - 56 8% 4 1% 614 91% - -  
Latvia  -  - -   - 14 37%  -  - 24 63%  
Lithuania  -  - 1 4% 3 11%  -  - 23 85%  
Luxembourg  -  - 192 99,5%  -    -  - 1 0.5%  
Malta  -  - 32 76% 10 24%  -  -  -  -  
The Netherlands  -  - 1061 59% 86 5% 615 34% 32 2%  
Poland 20 6% 34 9% 2 1% 7 2% 164 45% 37% 
Portugal  -  - 44 60% 27 37% 2 3%  -  -  
Czech republic - - 71 50% - - - - 66 47% 3% 
United Kingdom 2  - 1929 76% 231 9% 373 15%  -  -  
Slovakia - - 1 7% - - - - 10 71%  
Slovenia - - 2 9% 19 82% - - 2 9%  
Sweden - - 129 24% 234 43% 177 33%  -  -  
TOTAL 184 1% 10673 48% 2371 11% 7219 32% 1568 7% 1%  
   IP/C/W/471
 Page 17BREAKDOWN BY MEANS OF TRANSPORT USED FOR THE ARTICLES SEIZED BY THE 
CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATI ON OF THE EU - 2004  
Train Air Sea Post Road NC  Member 
States No. % No. % No. % No. % No. %   
Germany - - 2.202.814 15% 7.513.406 50% 49.565 1% 2.795.954 19% 15% 
Austria 9.930 0% 32.192 1% 6.316 0% 21.852 1% 4.037.698 98%   
Belgium - - 331.766 2% 19.807.328 97% 3.776 0% 253.037 1%   
Cyprus     16.559 11% 140.082 89% 587  -  -  -   
Denmark - - 21.922 34% 29.854 46% 11.373 18% 1.041 2%   
Spain 199.620 2% 200.968 2% 6.398.638 73% - - 1.958.320 23%   
Estonia 75.263 32% 96.783 41% 50.256 21% - - 14.021 6%   
Finland 35.962 5% 101.948 14% 545.998 77% 411 1% 22.746 3%   
France 144 0% 1.528.007 84% 123.275 7% 841 0% 175.560 9%   
Greece 200 0% 813 1% 136.594 90% 4.338 3% 3.201 2% 45% 
Hungary 212.042 5% 24.350 1% 37.654 1% - - 4.167.766 92% 1% 
Italy 1.582 0% 932.295 4% 20.800.965 94% - - 398.671 2%   
Ireland - - 30.965 5% 582.614 92% 20.303 3%  -  -   
Latvia - - - - 49.276 30% - - 117.738 70%   
Lithuania - - 21 0% 372.449 71% - - 150.513 29%   
Luxembourg - - 412.907 100% - - - - 1 0%   
Malta - - 5.379 0,2% 2.627.018 99,8% - - - -   
The Netherlands - - 1.033.155 12% 7.591.085 85% 38.292 0% 249.445 3%   
Poland 11.824 1,5% 10.510 1,3% 3.029 0,2% 147 0% 596.250 77% 20% 
Portugal - - 147.659 66% 74.458 33% 45 1%  -  -   
Czech republic - - 135.480 14% - - - - 276.277 30% 56% 
United Kingdom 26   5.072.813 90% 529.116 9% 34.775 1%  -  -   
Slovakia - - 15 0% - - - - 549.817 100%   
Slovenia - - 16 0,2% 918.975 98% - -  23.152 1,8%   
Sweden - - 14.278 0,7% 3.087.468 99% 5.450 0,3% - -   
TOTAL  546.593   1%   12.353.705   12%    71.425.854   69%  191.755   0%  15.791.208   15% 3% 
 
  IP/C/W/471 
Page 18  
 
  BREAKDOWN BY MEMBER STATE AND BY TYPE OF PROCEDURE RESULTING 
IN CUSTOMS ACTION – EU 2004 
Member States Application for action % Ex Officio % NC* 
Germany 6.691 98% 54 1% 1% 
Austria 1.257 95% 70 5%   
Belgium 478 51% 451 49%   
Cyprus 55 61% 35 39%   
Denmark - - 356 65% 35% 
Spain 1.249 98% 25 2%   
Estonia 48 47% 54 53%   
Finland 56 41% 79 59%   
France 3.171 97.5% 46 1.5% 1% 
Greece 54 79% 14 21%   
Hungary 28 20% 112 80%   
Italy 59 5% 1.108 93% 2% 
Ireland 671 99.5% 3 0,5%   
Latvia 13 34% 25 66%   
Lithuania 18 67% 6 22% 11% 
Luxembourg 111 58% 82 42%   
Malta 35 83% 7 17%   
The Netherlands 439 24% 1.355 76%   
Poland 316 87% 45 13%   
Portugal 61 84% 7 10% 6% 
Czech republic 32 23% 105 75% 2% 
United Kingdom 2.525 99,5% 9 0.5%   
Slovakia 6 43% 8 57%   
Slovenia 5 22% 18 78%   
Sweden 482 89% 58 11%   
TOTAL 17.860 80% 4.132 19%  1% 
  IP/C/W/471 
 Page 19 
 
 
   
EVOLUTION OF THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS FOR 
ACTION PER MEMBER STATE, EXPRESSED IN % - PERIOD 2002-2004  
Number of applications for action   
Member States 2002 2003 2004 Evolution 2003-2004 
Germany 258 314 270 -14%
Austria 36 55 155 182%
Belgium 55 133 141 6%
Cyprus  89 
Denmark 35 27 65 141%
Spain 92 58 178 207%
Estonia  75 
Finland 50 62 104 68%
France 334 325 388 19%
Greece 68 27 44 63%
Hungary  65 
Italy 127 195 181 -7%
Ireland 121 75 70 -7%
Latvia  79 
Lithuania  38 
Luxembourg 42 58 42 -28%
Malta  97 
The Netherlands 151 183 93 -49%
Poland  99 
Portugal 38 42 74 76%
Czech republic  80 
United Kingdom 172 193 251 30%
Slovakia  7 
Slovenia  36 
Sweden 92 139 167 20%
TOTAL 1.671 1.886 2.888 53%
 
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