“A seminar took place on July 9, 2024, in the City Council Hall of the Municipality of Thessaloniki, organised by the Hellenic Industrial Property Organisation (OBI), the Municipality of Thessaloniki, and EUIPO (European Observatory). The seminar aimed to inform enforcement authorities on the identification of counterfeit/copycat products that infringe the intellectual property rights of legitimate rights-holding companies.
At the event, specialized speakers provided detailed analysis of cases involving counterfeit goods smuggling, while the audience consisted of staff from the Police, Customs, Economic Police, the Special Revenue and Customs Office, and the Region of Macedonia.
The seminar was coordinated by Mrs. Rania Zacharopoulou, Head of the OBI Communications Department and Project Manager of the Authenticity Program, who delivered a greeting on behalf of the Hellenic Industrial Property Organisation.
Mr. Christantonis Charistes, Deputy Head of the Operational Planning Department, represented the Municipal Police of Thessaloniki and delivered a greeting, followed by training on the Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Database (IP Enforcement Portal) by Mrs. Evangelia Stavropoulou (European Observatory on Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights, EUIPO).
For the operational activities of D.I.M.E.A, Mr. Spiridon Peristeris, Head of the Data Management, Statistical Processing & E-Commerce Supervision Department, Inter-Service Market Control Unit, presented cases of smuggling and illegal trade of goods.
Training from IPR holders on the identification of counterfeit/copycat products was conducted by: Nikos Prendoulis, Partner at Prendoulis Gerakini Law Firm (tobacco products), Villy Davilla, Lawyer LL.M., Dr. Eleni Papakonstantinou & Partners Law Firm (children’s toys, focusing on the example of DISNEY), Manolis Tavlas, Legal Advisor on Intellectual Property at LOUIS VUITTON MALLETIER.
The issue of the illegal production and distribution of alcoholic beverages was addressed by Mr. Georgios Papadogoulas, Lecturer and PhD Candidate at UNIWA, Professional Whiskey Taster.”
