BRUSSELS, June 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Today marks the launch of the Coalition Against Illicit Trade (CAIT), a new worldwide coalition of businesses and organisations dedicated to fighting the trade of counterfeited and contraband goods, which causes significant harm to consumers, governments, businesses, and society in general.  

CAIT will focus on encouraging cooperation among those affected by illicit trade, sharing best practice, and working towards practical solutions that can be applied across industries.

"Illicit trade affects us all - the proliferation of counterfeit and pirated goods drains USD 1tn from the global economy every year and puts millions of people out of work," said Florent Denjean, Business Unit Director at Solutions Arjowiggins, a member of CAIT. "Unsafe, untested products pose a huge risk to consumers all over the world, while governments are being systematically deprived of hundreds of billions in tax revenues. This has got to stop."

Global counterfeiting and smuggling is a problem of international scale and scope. Recent estimates by Global Financial Integrity (GFI), a US-based NGO, place the total retail value of illicitly traded goods at USD 650bn, rising to USD 2tn if associated financial flows are included. The trade in illicit goods also fuels associated criminality, being a significant source of income for organised crime, human traffickers and terrorists around the world, from the Maghreb to Northern Ireland.

Industry involvement is vital in fighting these crimes, given its hard-won insights into markets, supply chains and effective control processes. CAIT's members have significant experience in implementing track & trace systems and authentication solutions. With CAIT, there is now a business forum dedicated to advancing common technological standards - and to stepping up the fight against illicit trade worldwide.

Membership is open to all companies and organisations who share the coalition's objectives and principles.  

"The mission of CAIT is one we and our fellow members are passionate about," said Eric Lequenne, International Business Development Manager, ATOS Worldline. "That is, to encourage collaboration and exchange of ideas between industry, regulators and policymakers; to promote open technology standards to develop effective solutions in the fight against counterfeiting and illicit trade, and to deepen our understanding of track & trace and anti-counterfeiting technologies and their practical application. It is well past time different industries came together to work towards a common goal."

Please visit:  http://www.CoalitionAgainstIllicitTrade.org for more information

About Illicit Trade: 

Counterfeiting and the trade in contraband is a global issue that affects a huge range of industries: pharmaceuticals, automotive parts, agri-food products, luxury goods, alcohol, tobacco, chemicals, cosmetics, toys, gemstones, watches and clothing, to name just a few.

The trade in unregulated and untested counterfeit goods poses a significant danger to consumers' health, and costs governments around the world untold billions in lost revenues - funds that could be used to build schools, provide healthcare, and cut taxes.

Media enquiries:
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Callum Laidlaw
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SOURCE Coalition Against Illicit Trade (CAIT)