OECD report links counterfeit trade to forced labor, cites Belgium factory case

A joint OECD-EUIPO report finds a strong correlation between product counterfeiting and forced labor, with countries with weaker labor protections showing higher counterfeiting intensity. The report cites an illegal cigarette factory in Belgium with poor living conditions as an example. This is a policy-relevant finding that may prompt stricter enforcement and supply-chain scrutiny, but it is not a market-moving event.