Enhancing IPR Enforcement and Anti-Counterfeiting for North African Countries

From 24 to 26 September 2024, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) organised the third Consultative Roundtable on IPR Enforcement / Anti-counterfeiting for North African Countries in Cairo (Egypt), in partnership with the National Intellectual Property Office of France (INPI France) and the Egyptian Internal Trade Development Authority (ITDA),  in the context of the Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation in Africa (AfrIPI) project, funded by the EU.

The 3‑day event, building on EUIPO’s previous initiative and activities to support anti-counterfeiting and strengthen intellectual property rights (IPR) enforcement in North Africa since 2022, brought together government, customs and police officials, intellectual property (IP) offices and private sector representatives involved in IPR enforcement in Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia, aiming to combine efforts and strengthen collaborative actions towards fighting anti-counterfeiting in the North Africa region. EUIPO’s activities against counterfeiting are mainly implemented by EUIPO-entrusted European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights, a network of experts and specialist stakeholders on counterfeiting issues.

In line with recommended actions to combat piracy and counterfeiting, and to strengthen cooperation and exchanges on anti-counterfeiting work among relevant North African administrations, participants engaged in discussions around the latest trends and developments in anti-counterfeiting strategies and technologies; the recycling of seized counterfeit goods; and best practices on transborder cooperation and environmental sustainability.

The main objectives of the gathering were to:

- strengthen IPR enforcement capabilities in the North African region;

- support the creation of a transborder institutional cooperation agreement in North Africa;

- create a roadmap for future anti-counterfeiting work in North Africa.