The Chamber of Cosmetics Industry of the Philippines (CCIP) and the country’s leading cosmetics companies have entered into an agreement to heighten their effort in curbing the proliferation of counterfeit cosmetics products sold online.

The e-commerce memorandum of understanding (MOU) between CCIP and its member firms was signed last week, as facilitated by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL).

“Through this MOU, CCIP and its members will now be part of the collective drive of protecting both the cosmetics industry and the health and safety of the public,” IPOPHL Director General Brigitte da Costa-Villaluz said in a statement.

“This collaboration is a protective measure so that cosmetics products, from skincare to makeup, can be availed of by people around the world not only for their high quality but also for their authenticity,” she added.

CCIP earlier partnered with IPOPHL to forge closer coordination in combating intellectual property (IP) violations, particularly through training of CCIP members on how to integrate IP protection into their respective business strategies.

With the signing of the e-commerce MOU, CCIP is looking to establish a code of practice for online businesses to implement an efficient notice and takedown procedure.

Notably, the agreement not only covers brand owners, industry associations, or chambers of commerce, but online platforms as well.

CCIP President Christine Michelle Reyes noted that as the cosmetics industry continues to grow, it becomes “increasingly susceptible” to online counterfeiting

“As the rise of e-commerce platforms has led to a rapid spread of counterfeit goods online, brands have difficulty in protecting their intellectual property due to damaged brand reputation, escalated risks to consumer safety from the sale of unsafe or substandard products,” she said.

Reyes said taking a collaborative approach in tackling counterfeits will enable both emerging and established cosmetic brands to successfully deal with the issue.

According to IPOPHL, the signatories of the MOU stand at 65.

Alongside CCIP, its member companies that signed the agreement include Green Cross Inc., Amway Philippines LLC, Chromaesthetics Inc., UL Skin Sciences Inc., Personal Collection Direct Selling Inc., and Ever Bilena Cosmetics Inc., among others.

IPOPHL earlier said the country has been ramping up its IP protection through legislative reforms, increased enforcement actions, and enhanced whole-of-nation cooperation.

The MOU, originally conceived as a stopgap measure, is expected to be another tool to crack down on piracy.