Non-specific country of origin labeling

July 24, 2009
Intellectual Property News and Interesting Facts

While many products made within the European Union carry the country of origin label or marking “Made in EU” or “Made in EC”, some non-EU manufacturers in Europe and some others outside the continent of Europe use vaguer markings, such as “Made in Europe” (made anywhere else in Europe, but not in the EU or EC; this may constitute any country geographically close to Europe or the EU that also wishes to be in) or “Made for Europe” (made anywhere else in the world, but not in Europe or the European Union). These practices could lead to consumer deception, whereby a buyer not proficient in English may come to believe from looking at the label that the non-EU product he is interested in is made in the EU.