4-7 October 2004: Operational Seminar on the Role of Customs in Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy, Belgrade

An operational seminar on the role of customs authorities in combating counterfeiting and piracy will be held in Belgrade on 4-7 October 2004 under the EC-funded CARDS Regional Programme on Intellectual Property Rights managed by the European Commission and operated by the European Patent Office. The seminar has been organised in collaboration with the European Commission Directorate-General for Taxation and the Customs Union (DGTAXUD), and with the participation of the Customs and Fiscal Assistance Office (CAFAO) in Serbia. Designed for operational customs officers, the seminar consists of practical exercises in risk analysis and targeting counterfeited and pirated goods, and introduces the best European and international practice in the field of customs enforcement and measures against counterfeiting and piracy. During the four-day operational seminar, participants from CARDS countries will be able to get up to date and exchange views and information with their counterparts from the EU.

The CARDS Regional Programme on Intellectual Property Rights  is intended to improve co-operation between the five CARDS countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro and FYR Macedonia) in the context of their intellectual property (IP) institutions. The aim is to enhance their technical ability to support and protect consumers and holders of IP rights at national and regional level while at the same time harmonising IP legislation. By using the Stabilisation and Association Process to strengthen measures against counterfeiting and piracy, to facilitate the enforcement of IP rights by judicial authorities and to promote general awareness of IP rights, this project will help the countries of the region to move towards harmonisation with the EU acquis communautaires.

Combating counterfeiting and piracy, and improved enforcement of IP rights, are regarded as two of the key priorities for consumer protection and a functional market economy, which provide an enabling environment for innovation, growth, employment and global competitiveness in the region.

The main institutions involved in this project are those concerned with intellectual property, such as the Intellectual Property Office of Serbia and Montenegro or the Customs - IPR Group in Belgrade.

• Seminars and workshops on measures against counterfeiting and piracy, legal harmonisation, enhancing the capabilities of IP institutions and the promotion  of general IP awareness are due to take place in the five countries over the next three years of the duration of this project. The total budget amounts to EUR 2.25m.