Manufacturers make much of the harm that parallel imports allegedly cause consumers.

ECONOMIST: When grey is good

And in one way, as it will seriously disturb the market in grey or parallel imports, one they might be quite happy with.

FORBES: Apple's New iPad has 4G Complications

Although the arguments about access to drugs through parallel imports and compulsory-licensing agreements may have some theoretical validity, the disincentive to investment provided by such measures is massive.

ECONOMIST: Homeward bound?

Drug companies were also concerned about parallel imports: the practice of allowing legal products, in this case pharmaceuticals priced at one level in one country, into another country without the consent of the patent holder.

FORBES: AIDS Drugs �C For Profit Or Not?

Venezuela's government has stopped issuing import permits, nor is it providing dollars at the official exchange rate for imports from Colombia (a dollar costs almost three times more on the parallel market).

ECONOMIST: Hugo Ch��vez stamps out regional economic integration