Representatives for a number of renowned international brands were in Malta to address an anti-counterfeiting training seminar held for forty-eight officials from the Customs Department, the Commerce Division responsible for Intellectual Property and the Economic Crimes Unit of the Police Force. The event was organised by IURIS Malta, a leading law firm in the field of anti-counterfeiting and IP enforcement. The aim of the seminar was to update Customs and Police officials on recognition techniques for counterfeit goods which infringe the rights of the represented brands to facilitate detection and detention operations by the Maltese officials.

Counterfeit is a global problem which effects both onshore and offshore circulation of goods with Malta playing a major role in the Mediterranean through its Free Port operation, where, in 2010 alone, more than 2.3 million containers passed through the Freeport servicing the Mediterranean and South Europe.

The training session which took place on Wednesday 6th April 2011 at the newly refurbished Casa Pereira in Republic Street, Valletta kicked off with introductory speeches by Peter Fenech, IURIS Malta, Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Cassar, Economic Crimes Unit, Joseph P Brincat, DG Customs, and Michelle Bonello, Director (IP Registration).

The brand protection managers who gave presentations included Kyocera Mita Europe BV, The Timberland Company, Nokia Corporation, Lacoste, New Era, Sony Corporation, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, Hewlett-Packard, Andreas Stihl AG and Louis Vuitton. These training sessions are valuable for brand holders as they allow first-hand contact with the local enforcement authorities and officials and the opportunity to deliver detailed presentations to inform them about their brands and how to recognise counterfeits of their products.

All participants affirmed their cooperation and support for all activities aimed at fighting counterfeiting in Malta and globally and of the importance in raising awareness on the impact of counterfeiting through the serious loss of revenue for companies who invest so much on their brands and further the very serious threat to the health and safety of individuals who purchase and use counterfeit pharmaceuticals, perfumes and electronic devices.

IURIS Malta is committed together with its strategic partners, the rightholders and the local enforcement authorities, to fight this crime and hails the success to date. It thanks its international partner SNB React, an international non-profit coalition with the objective to actively fight counterfeit trade, in promoting this training session amongst its members for its constant support.