Customs, Police & other Agencies get training on intellectual property

The exponential growth of piracy and counterfeit products over the years has been a cause for major concern in light of their impact on consumers, brand owners as well as on economic growth.

In light of this, a one-day Anti-Counterfeit Training for Customs, Police and other Enforcement Agencies will take place on January 15 to treat with enforcement issues in Intellectual Property.

The Training is intended to address several pertinent areas such as the importance of the enforcement of copyright and trademark and more particularly, the role of the enforcement agencies in intellectual property enforcement.

This activity has been organized by the Anti Counterfeit & Brand Protection Agency operating in Latin America and the Caribbean, DISOSA Brand Protection & Corporate Services (DISOSA BPS) in collaboration with the Trinidad and Tobago Intellectual Property Office (TTIPO).

A statement from the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs (AGLA) notes that there are challenges as it relates to the enforcement of intellectual property legislation in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean. It said, however, that the enforcement agencies continue to play a fundamental role in the deterrence of access to counterfeit and pirated goods.

"An efficient and effectively enforced intellectual property infrastructure is necessary to avoid intellectual property rights infringements that result in economic harm. It is against this background that this training seeks to promote the importance of intellectual property protection and enforcement as vital for economic development," the statement said.