TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — The leading automotive and commercial truck parts supplier associations around the world this week issued a statement of cooperation to jointly fight counterfeiting and other intellectual property rights violations in the global automotive industry.

Representatives of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), CLEPA (the European association of automotive suppliers), and the Japan Auto Parts Industries Association recently met to discuss the issue of counterfeiting and IPR.

“Counterfeiting of products world wide is a multi-billion dollar cost,” the three groups said in a joint statement. “The incidence of automotive parts counterfeiting is growing and is costing legitimate parts manufacturers billions of dollars annually. Not only is the economic impact significant, but counterfeited low quality parts are a danger and can cause accidents and deaths…. all counterfeiting activities must be firmly challenged globally.”

The groups agreed to jointly adopt guidelines for use by trade show organizers to set in place strong rules against counterfeiting and encourage their disciplined, consistent enforcement of rules against counterfeiting. Also, they plan to work together to approach trade show organizers, law enforcement officials, customers and customer organizations, sponsors, and the news media to raise the awareness of counterfeit parts and IPR violations.

The three associations will work to create an anti-counterfeiting exhibit, and will encourage other automotive trade associations to also participate in this exhibit at trade shows around the world.

This tactic has been effective at reducing counterfeit product displays and IPR violations at trade shows where it has been done in the past, the organizations say.