The Imaging Consumables Coalition of Europe (ICCE) has been formed in response to increasing awareness that counterfeit product was entering the distribution chain.

The problem in Europe is estimated to be 5% of the total European Supplies Market, i.e. US$500 million. This is further confirmed by the fact that individual consumable manufacturers are increasingly embroiled in legal actions against manufacturers and distributors/ resellers of fraudulent imaging supplies.

Many other industries have long established anti-piracy coalitions dedicated to combating the scourge of intellectual property theft in Europe and beyond. As a result, in 1997, Epson, Hewlett Packard, Lexmark and Oki (Europe) began tentative steps to establish a European imaging supplies coalition. The result was the Imaging Consumables Coalition of Europe, a non-profit making association originally consisting of five members, namely Epson, Hewlett Packard, Lexmark, Oki and Tally.

The benefits of an industry response to the problem of product piracy have been well demonstrated by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and other industry coalitions.

The Imaging Consumables Coalition of Europe assists its members through the methods shown on the right:

Methods

Education

Informing the industry about what constitutes intellectual property theft and why and how to avoid it.

Publicity

Legal actions, legislative developments and trends in counterfeit are some of the issues included in the 'The Genuine Article' and other marketing materials.

Detection

ICCE has dedicated frameworks for identifying the illegal chains of supply. The goal is to disrupt the criminal elements of the business and drive them out of the supply chain.

Enforcement

We are working together with REACT WCO (World Customs Organisation) to train customs across Europe and the Middle East to intercept the counterfeit consumables at border controls. ICCE members continue to build relationships with police and other bodies involved in the enforcement of intellectual property rights.

Anti-Counterfeit Technologies

ICCE members continue to develop their technology strategies by implementing the use of holograms and colorshift technologies on their consumables packaging.

The ICCE Partner Program

All the ICCE Partner Program members: Despec, Integra, ISA France, Orion and XMA are taking ICCE further into the supplies channel to ensure the message is heard.