AfrIPI assists North African countries in fight against counterfeiting

On 28 and 29 November 2022, AfrIPI co-hosted its first on-site event in Algeria to support North African countries in the fight against counterfeiting, to promote intellectual property rights (IPRs) and to discuss their impact on the economy and the environment. The event took place at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Algiers.

The international seminar was intended for police and customs officials, decision-makers, regulators, owners of intellectual property rights, and lawyers involved in IPR enforcement in North Africa (Algeria, Egypt, and Tunisia). The main goal of the seminar was to maintain communication among enforcement authorities and rights holders in order to share experiences, identify factors that encourage counterfeiting, and discuss efficient techniques and strategies to detect, monitor, and investigate IPR violations. A special focus was put on international cooperation.

The first day of the seminar was devoted to speeches by the different organisers and authorities, who highlighted their roles and expertise in the fight against counterfeiting. They also committed to supporting Algerian institutions and authorities in defending IPRs. On day two, trade mark owners gave training sessions to customs officers and the police on how to spot fake goods. In parallel, several workshops were held addressing current topics of interest such as parallel imports, new technologies and continental laws.

The stakeholders involved were: AfrIPI, Cabinet MAP, INPI France, CCI Algéro Française, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Afripol, Union des Fabricants (UNIFAB), Algerian Customs, Egyptian Customs, Tunisian Customs, IP Lawyers from Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia.

The European Union Commission and the African Union have a common interest in facilitating trade and investment by removing obstacles to their development. AfrIPI also aims to facilitate intra-African trade and investment between Africa and Europe.

For more details, check our press release.