Azerbaijan presented at Intellectual Property Rights Protection workshop

Azerbaijani customs representatives participated in three-day workshop devoted to the protection of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), ENPI Info Center reported.

A workshop which took place on 14, 15 and 16 May in Odessa with participation of customs representatives from six Eastern Partnership countries (Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia) was the joint initiative of the EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM) and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).

ICMPD is funding the workshop in the context of the Eastern Partnership IBM (Integrated Border Management) Flagship Initiative. The initiative is timely given the threat posed to IPR by the EURO 2012 football championship, which provides organised criminals with an additional incentive to produce counterfeit goods.

Representatives of large international companies such as Imperial Tobacco and Chanel also joined customs representatives for a workshop.

According to ENPI report, the workshop will be used as an opportunity to network and exchange information, and to explore ways of protecting IPR, including examining the central role of customs.

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