Addressing the issues related to the Intellectual Property Rights and the Product Identification jointly with Uzbek Customs and UNODC-WCO Global Container Control Programme

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for Central Asia organized an Online Advanced Training on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and Product Identification under the UNODC-World Customs Organizations (WCO) Global Container Control Programme (CCP) on 12-14 October 2020. The training was intended for the officers from the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, members of the Port Control Units (PCU) at the “Alat”, “Chukursay Tekhkontora” and “Yallama” Customs posts in Uzbekistan.

The training is part of a series of CCP capacity building activities in Uzbekistan and is aimed at strengthening Customs officers' capacity in combatting the spread of counterfeit goods, as well as using modern methods of Customs control in this sphere.

Addressing Customs officials during the training, Mr. Sardor Atashikov, UNODC National Programme Coordinator, stated that the violations of the intellectual property rights and the spread of counterfeit goods, especially medical products, harm not only the national economy and the private sector, but also affect the public health. In order to confront this threat, he encouraged PCU members in Uzbekistan to take an advantage of this practical training to strengthen their knowledge and skills.

An experienced WCO international trainer shared her knowledge on legal mechanisms of combating counterfeiting and piracy, WCO tools in this sphere, IPR types and risk assessment techniques, etc. The participants also got acquainted with the latest significant IPR-related seizures followed by a detailed discussion on risk indicators, methods of concealment and current modus-operandi revealed.

In order to update and familiarize the Customs officers with the methods of identification of genuine products, combat counterfeited goods as well as strengthen partnership among Customs and Private Sector, the representatives of world-famous brands were invited as speakers to the training, which provided an excellent opportunity for the Parties to substantively discuss subjects of a mutual interest in this area.

The CCP Regional Segment for Central Asia is funded by the Government of Japan and the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), and the Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) Programme.

 

***

With any queries, please address Shakhnoza Zafari,

Communication and External Relations Officer

Mobile: +998935547895

E-mail: shakhnoza.zafari[at]un.org