Dialogue on the Customs Enforcement of Industrial Property Rights ProgramOn May 10 and 11, the United States Patent and Trademark Office through its Industrial Property Attaché Office in Brussels (USPTO Brussels) and in collaboration with the Embassy of the United States of America (USA) in Spain organized 2023 an event in Madrid. Entitled "Dialogue on the Customs Enforcement of Industrial Property Rights Program," the two-day program consisted of a dialogue on customs enforcement of industrial property rights. The event, which brought together authorities responsible for protecting and enforcing industrial property rights, provided an overview of industrial property protection, agency coordination and customs enforcement of industrial property in the United States. In addition, new trends, best practices, data analysis and risk assessment in customs enforcement, the use of new technologies and IP customs enforcement in the EU were presented. The Director of the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office, O.A. (SPTO) participated in the opening ceremony, emphasizing the Office's continued commitment to the promotion, protection and defense of industrial property rights and the fight against trade in counterfeit products. During the intervention of the US representatives, the working procedures of US customs officials and how they fight against counterfeiting were explained. The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) made a very instructive intervention that helped to understand the fight against counterfeit trade at the EU borders. Subsequently, there were interventions from private companies: Cisco, Apple and HP, who explained the problem of counterfeiting and their protocols and means of defense. Representatives of the Spanish State Security Forces and Corps attended the event: Customs, Civil Guard and National Police, as well as SPTO personnel dedicated to the enforcement of industrial property rights.
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