Cambodia Investment Review
The European Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia, in collaboration with the Consumer Protection Competition and Fraud Repression Directorate-General (CCF) of the Ministry of Commerce, will host the Counter-Counterfeit and Illicit Trade Forum on Tuesday, 21st February 21 at Hyatt Regency.
Counterfeit products hit especially hard in Cambodia, whether they’re fake cigarettes sold by street vendors or falsified milk products sold with foreign labels. Not only do fake products undercut fair competition, they pose health hazards, especially when it’s concerning fake medications or illicit alcohol.
Read more: Fighting the illicit alcohol trade in Cambodia and ASEAN
EuroCham’s goal is to raise awareness of the issue, summarise the ongoing and future efforts of the CCF, the Counter Counterfeit Committee of Cambodia and the Government-Private Sector Forum (G-PSF) to remedy it, and discuss areas where stakeholders could collaborate to alleviate the issue.
Expert analysis on the consumer protection
The full-day form on the 21st of February will cover a wide variety of topics: from expert analysis and updates on the Consumer Protection Law, to new regulations governing commercial advertising, as well as detailed discussions on the impact of fake products filtering into the fast-moving consumer goods sector.
Vireak Chea, founder of telemedicine brand PillTech, said counterfeit medicine is a persistent problem in Cambodia, as potentially harmful fake products consistently make their way across the border. He said a first step to solving the issue is raising awareness and encouraging patients and pharmacists to do their due diligence in asking about the origin of products.
“Education and awareness of counterfeit products are very important. People need to be aware of this issue and forums like this one help achieve that goal. This is a problem that affects the public and businesses alike,” he said.
EuroCham’s Executive Director Tom Hesketh said: “Counterfeit products are a major concern in the Kingdom, and it’s a double-edged sword of harming legitimate compliant businesses while also affecting peoples’ health. The CCF and the CCCC are on the frontlines of these issues, and we’re looking forward to a full-day forum that will highlight the important work being done by the government to mitigate the associated risks.”
Ongoing counterfeit concerns in Cambodia
Indeed, counterfeit goods make up about 3% of total global trade according to the OECD. On the side-lines of the battle between regulatory authorities and counterfeit traders are legitimate businesses, who often see their bottom lines impacted by unauthorised competitors.
According to the CCCC, in 2021, more than 4.7 tonnes of illegal medicine, medical products, cosmetics and other products were seized. In addition, 77,770 litres of alcohol were reportedly confiscated. Meanwhile, the CCF has reported that it confiscates more than 1,000 tonnes of counterfeit products per year, typically food and beverage products.
At the forum on the 21st, public sector representatives and experts from the auto industry, the fast-moving consumer goods sector, and the pharmaceutical sector will come together to discuss their most pressing concerns.
