IP Outreach Research > IP Use and Awareness
Reference
Title: | Les PME et la lutte Anti-Contrefaçon |
Author: | [Confédération Générale des Petites et Moyennes Entreprises] |
Source: | |
Year: | 2007 |
Details
Subject/Type: | IP Protection |
Focus: | Economic / Financial Impact, Enforcement |
Country/Territory: | France |
Objective: | To examine what proportion of small and medium-sized enterprises is affected by counterfeiting, and what measures can be taken to respond to it. |
Sample: | Small and medium-sized enterprises |
Methodology: | Online survey |
Main Findings
Half of the small to medium-sized French businesses (SMEs) affected by counterfeiting have taken legal measures to defend their intellectual property (IP) assets. The average duration of such a judicial procedure (perceived as costly by 57%) is between one and three years for 57%. A high number of victims (71.5%) reports that the compensation awarded to them was lower than the damages sustained due to the infringement.
Almost two in three victims of counterfeiting decided to review their business strategy: 43% of them reinforced their IP rights protection, 14% plan more product innovation, and 7% changed their commercial/marketing strategy. 36% did not change their strategy in response to the IP infringements suffered.
40% of respondents affirm that they do not know from whom exactly they can expect assistance, should IP rights violations occur. The entities perceived as most effective to take action in IP matters are: lawyers (35%), IP consultants (33%), judges (17%), and bailiffs (15%). Preferred repressive entities are: customs (39%), followed by the “direction générale de la concurrence, de la consommation et de la répression des fraudes” (27%), the gendarmerie (20%), and the police (14%).
Nine in ten businesses are in favour of establishing an early warning mechanism to combat counterfeiting. 60% of SMEs affirm that they are aware of anti-counterfeiting operations.
[Date Added: Nov 20, 2008 ]