Vice-president Margarita Popova welcomed the activity of the European Commission directed at preventing the production, import, distribution and use of fake goods in the European Union and preventing and fighting corruption. This happened at a meeting held between the Vice-president and Antonio Tajani, EC Vice-president, who is on a visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of the “Journalists Against Corruption” association.
Part of the measures taken by the EC provide for the traceability of the products produced or imported in Europe, for strengthening the border control and the coordination of the regulatory framework in this sector and that of the European customs authorities.
It was emphasized that Bulgaria has taken on big commitments and responsibilities as an EU external border. Margarita Popova joined Antonio Tajani’s call to establish a common order and create opportunities for a better coordination between the European structures and particularly between the customs authorities.
Vice-president Margarita Popova voiced The Presidential Institution’s commitment to the cause of preventing and fighting corruption and called on for devoting efforts and energy to fight “one of the most tempting phenomena in the contemporary world – fraud as a means of making profit without considering its harmful effect on the people.”
“The prestige of the European institutions is also important in this respect, therefore I welcome the work done by the European Commission in this direction. The most horrible evils for the human being are profit-driven and harmful for the people,” the Vice-president commented and said that the visit of the EC Vice-president is extremely useful and serves the public interest in the sphere of preventing and fighting all types of frauds.
Antonio Tajani acquainted the Vice-president with the EC’s activity aimed at fighting the production and distribution of fake goods on the European market. The annual turnover of such goods in the EU reaches 200 billion euros and comes close to that of drug-trafficking, Antonio Tajani said.
EC Vice-president Tajani outlined part of the damage that the import and production of fake goods causes to the European and national markets, as well as the risks to the people’s health and the harm caused by the use of such products. Particularly important is to counteract the import of such products in countries such as Bulgaria, since the country is an EU external border and prevents the import of 28 percent of all fake goods throughout Europe.
Antonio Tajani called on the European and national institutions to support and encourage the police and customs authorities in their work, so that they could be protected from being caught in the “trap of corruption.” The public should also be acquainted with the negative effects of using fake goods, particularly children’s food and toys. The journalists and the media play a particularly important role in this respect, the EC Vice-president added.