The UNODC-WCO Global Container Control Programme raised awareness of Customs and other competent authorities of Central Asia on issues of intellectual property rights (IPR)

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Regional Office for Central Asia (UNODC ROCA) conducted in Aktau, Kazakhstan the Regional training on prevention and detection of Intellectual property rights violations and Goods Identification Workshop under the UNODC-WCO Global Container Control Programme (CCP).

The training was organized jointly with the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan with the purpose of strengthening theoretical knowledge and practical skills of the Customs and other law enforcement officers, as well as members of the Port Control Units (PCUs) and Air Cargo Control Units (ACCU) of Central Asia on detection and inspection of high-risk commodities in terms of violations of the intellectual property rights, by applying modern Customs control techniques and systems, and promotion of partnerships between Customs and private sector in preventing the Customs violations.

Welcoming the training participants, Mr. Talgat Baysin, Deputy Head of State Revenue Department of Mangystau region marked the valuable contributions by UNODC and WCO in enhancing Customs capacities in the region to improve trade security and wished everyone a fruitful sustainable cooperation in effective information exchange under the CCP Inter-Regional Network of Customs Authorities and Port Control Units (IREN).     

Sardor Atashikov, CCP Regional Programme Coordinator in Central Asia thanked the Government of Kazakhstan for hosting the training in Aktau, which clearly demonstrates the country’s adherence to preventing and countering illegal movement of goods along with facilitating the legal trade and promoting international border security cooperation between Customs and business communities. He also stressed the importance of IPR issues for PCUs/ACCUs, who only in 2022 managed to suppress trafficking of 10,000,000 pieces of falsified and misdeclared medical products, as well as 26,402,269 pieces and 266.283 kg of IPR goods.

WCO trainers, Ms. Sandra Wens and Ms. Akosita Valamalua, provided a thorough insight to participants on a range of IRP infringement issues, risk indicators, protection marks, legal regulations including TRIPs Agreement, as well as regional challenges in the current Customs enforcement of IPR goods. Experts from pharmaceutical companies and rightsholders from Puma, Colgate-Palmolive, Sanofi, Hermes-Moet, Toyota, Lego, invited to the training, explained to participants the current trends in counterfeit products, smuggling routes to reach the market, and shared best practices in identification of such falsified goods. Specialist from the Ministry of Justice of Kazakhstan hold session on national IPR strategy ensured by QAZPATENT (National IPR centre) and procedure of registration of copyright/trademark rights in Kazakhstan, as well as advanced mechanisms of safeguarding the manufacturers’ rights, human health, and safety.

Study tour to Aktau seaport was also organized for the participants as part of the training to make them acquainted with Customs control of maritime consignments on Caspian Sea and demonstrate PCU operations at Seaport.        

At the end of training participants highly appreciated a practical nature of the training and an opportunity to approach rightsholders and establish new contacts, which will reinforce their efforts in maintaining effective IPR controls from Customs perspective and inspection mechanisms to foster international trade security.           

The CCP Regional Segment for Central Asia is funded by 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, and the Government of France.

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For more information, contact Vasilina Brazhko 

Communications and PR Specialist at 

UNODC criminal justice programme in Central Asia 

at vasilina.brazhko [at] un.org