Coalition Against Illicit Trade Calls for the Implementation of Digital Solutions to Adequately Fight 21st Century Cross-border Illicit Trade

- The Coalition Against Illicit Trade (CAIT), today launches its latest white paper that brings the expertise and research of its members to examine the benefits of digitalisation of the solutions implemented to fight illicit trade. According to the latest OECD and EUIPO report "Mapping the routes of trade in fake goods", the depth and breadth of international trade routes in counterfeit and pirated goods continue to expand. The problem is further exacerbated by the complexity of the supply chain of the products usually targeted by counterfeiters and smugglers, which often involve a variety of stakeholders and partners across multiple geographies. In its new white paper 'Implementing Digital Solutions to Address the Issue of Cross-border Illicit Trade', the Coalition highlights the need to think and design inter-connectable systems and well planned approaches to supply chain security but also consumer safety. It also emphasises the importance of improved cooperation between companies and authorities, countries of origin and destination, between independent standard setting bodies, economic operators and supply chain, regulators and enforcement authorities in the effort to fight illicit trade. Comprised of some of Europe's most experienced supply chain solution providers, CAIT's paper stresses that new digital techniques to help tracking, tracing and authentication are constantly being developed, but argues that only a well-designed, principal-based regulatory framework or voluntary technical standards at a multi-state or global level will ensure that these new solutions are applied effectively and on a wide scale to prevent criminal activity. To download the latest white paper Implementing Digital Solutions to Address the Issue of Cross-border Illicit Trade, please click here. For more information please visithttp://www.coalitionagainstillicittrade.org/about-illicit-trade/