The WCO and Groupe Speciale Mobile Association (GSMA) on 28 September signed an agreement to collaborate in the fight against the counterfeiting and fraudulent trading of mobile devices. According to the WCO the partnership will focus on the integration of the GSMA’s mobile device database with the WCO’s Interface Public-Members (IPM) mobile platform that will give Customs officers global, real-time product information on devices enabling them to assess the authenticity of device shipments as they cross borders.
The collaboration with the WCO is expected to allow Customs officers to access the most accurate information available on bona fide phone data, to help in the fight against the trade of counterfeit devices.
The partnership will combine GSMA device data with rights holders’ interfaced data pools as well as the unique information a rights holder has uploaded into IPM enabling Customs officers to scan and verify the IMEI codes of mobile devices and make instant and informed decisions. Customs officers and rights holders also have the ability to contact each other instantaneously via the IPM platform and exchange information in real-time. The move is intended to improve cross-border trade procedures, assist with the rapid detection of counterfeit goods and secure the international trade supply chain.
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 250 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, and organisations in adjacent industry sectors.