A training seminar was held on September 6, this year, in the field of protection of intellectual property rights and anti-counterfeiting, organized by the Anti-Counterfeiting Association REACT of Romania and hosted by the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI). The event brought together representatives of the institutions responsible for the enforcement of these rights, such as the Customs Service, the Prosecutor General’s Office and the State Inspectorate for Supervision of Non-Food Products and Consumer Protection.

The main aim of the seminar was to provide practical information on the identification of counterfeit products and the development of effective solutions to combat this growing phenomenon.

In the opening of the event, Andrei Popa, Deputy Director General of AGEPI, emphasized the importance of protecting intellectual property rights, noting that: “Protecting intellectual property rights is not only a legal responsibility, but also an essential commitment to support innovation, creativity and development. Counterfeiting not only undermines these values, but also seriously affects the health and safety of our consumers. In this context, close collaboration between government institutions, the private sector and non-governmental organizations is absolutely necessary to combat this phenomenon. AGEPI takes an active role in facilitating this dialogue and promoting a robust framework for the protection of intellectual property rights.”

The participants discussed the methods of identifying counterfeit goods, the marketing strategies of large companies and the measures to combat this phenomenon. Rapporteur Kristi O'Malley from the U.S. Department of Justice addressed the topic of investigation and prosecution of trademark infringement crimes.

Also, an important aspect of the seminar was familiarizing the participants with specific details regarding the identification of the original products of some famous companies, such as Puma, Samsung, Adidas, Apple, COTY and others.

At the end of the seminar, the participants appreciated the opportunity to exchange experiences and best practices, expressing their desire to continue collaboration to develop effective solutions in the fight against counterfeiting, contributing to the creation of a safer and more transparent business climate.