The Association for the Protection of Industrial Property in the Middle East and North Africa APPIMAF, in cooperation with the Jordan Intellectual Property Association JIPA and the World Intellectual Property Organization WIPO, organized an anti-counterfeit forum in Amman, Jordan on December 11 and 12, 2006. More than 200 participants from all over the Middle East and North Africa region took advantage of two days of educational programs, committee meetings, social events, and networking opportunities.
The forum’s theme reflects on the increase of regional counterfeiting and piracy and on the importance of mobilizing attention towards effective intellectual property enforcement. The need to heighten awareness to the negative impact of counterfeiting and piracy in terms of economic losses and threats posed to health and security was at the core of all discussions.
During this forum, ample time was reserved for plenary sessions in order to share experiences and approaches to detect and deter counterfeiting and piracy activities. The presentations dealt with various issues including the following:
– the extent of counterfeiting and piracy activities in different countries of the region;
– the adverse impact of counterfeiting and piracy on the business environment;
– the expansion of awareness campaigns in the fight against piracy and counterfeiting;
– the development of comprehensive guidelines for an effective border enforcement system; and
– the need to give foreign investors confidence in the region.
The forum concluded on assertions that successful anti-piracy and anti-counterfeit policies can only be drawn on a robust commitment and coordination between law enforcement agencies, policy makers, customs authorities, and the private sector.
Saba & Co. IP sponsored this event and was represented in the different functions of the forum. The discussions presented a unique opportunity for our team to explore and exchange the latest issues on the intellectual property front.
Should you have any questions, or require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@sabaip.com