"With one of the world’s richer concentrations of luxury goods makers to defend, France increased the maximum fine for buying fakes in March to three times the retail price of the authentic product.
A 30 euro ($40) fake Rolex could incur a 10,000 euro ($12,000) penalty. The same month, Italy introduced fines of up to 10,000 euros ($12,400) for buying rip-off goods.
The Colbert Committee, which represents French luxury brands, estimates that counterfeits cost the country 30,000 jobs. It wants other governments to crack down on buyers as well as sellers.
“There’s a problem of supply, but there’s also a problem of demand,” said Nicolas Prelot, the group’s project manager on counterfeiting. “Ordinary consumers who buy forgeries should also receive convictions.”
The French and Italian laws are among the harshest in the world for individuals caught with counterfeit goods for their own use.
U.S. laws provide for tough sanctions against individuals who carry out piracy or counterfeiting — even on a small scale, for example by illegally downloading music on their computers — but don’t penalize those who buy the fake finished products."
