July, a month of campaigns against counterfeit products
In July, IP Key Latin America will take significant steps to strengthen the fight against counterfeit products through two major initiatives in Costa Rica and South America. The aim of the activities is to align efforts with the European EMPACT initiative, which targets organised crime, including intellectual property (IP) violations. These efforts reflect a growing commitment to raise awareness of the global challenge of counterfeiting, which not only threatens economies, but also endangers public health and safety.
The Regional Enforcement Seminar in Costa Rica will be a three-day face-to-face event (22-24, July) jointly organised by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the Japan Patent Office (JPO) and the Directorate General of Intellectual Property of Costa Rica. The seminar will provide intensive training for prosecutors, customs investigators and police officers from Central America and Mexico. It will focus on the prosecution of IP crime, investigation, IP enforcement at borders and collaboration with right holders.
Simultaneously, the INTERPOL-supported South American IP Law Enforcement Summit (16-18, July) brings together regional authorities to discuss and plan concrete operational actions against illicit trade in counterfeit goods, pharmaceutical crime and digital piracy. By exchanging views and developing collaborative strategies, the summit will open the debate on regional responses to these issues.
These initiatives are in line with the objectives of EMPACT (European Multidisciplinary Platform against Criminal Threats), which strives to dismantle organised criminal networks involved in IP infringements. EMPACT has consistently demonstrated the link between IP crime and other serious problems, such as online fraud and tax evasion.
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