The 25th European Intellectual Property Forum, organized by UNIFAB, reminds us of the need to make consumers aware of the challenges of the fight against counterfeiting

UGGC Law Firm was honored to participate in the debate masterfully orchestrated by Unifab on the occasion of the 25th European Intellectual Property Forum.

The forum, which took place on the mornings of March 11 and 12, was opened by the Minister of Economy Bruno Le Maire, as well as by Mr. Cedric O, Secretary of State in charge of the digital transition and electronic communications.

Of particular interest were the discussions on new initiatives and policies to be put in place to raise consumer awareness of intellectual property.

To do so, Mrs. Monique Zerbib, president of HADOPI, raised the importance of educating the young generations through a playful communication, which would introduce them to the principles of intellectual property and digital creation.

In this regard, one speaker also noted that it is imperative to make consumers understand that IP infringement is not a “victimless crime” and that buying counterfeit products on the Internet can have serious consequences, beyond the economic ones.

The use of technologies, such as the Blockchain, could ensure the traceability of the origin of certain products.

Naturally, this discussion led to a round table discussion about the cooperation between public authorities and private sector actors, whose alliance seems more necessary than ever, especially when we see the significant rise in the power of e-commerce and its impact on the purchase of counterfeit products.

A striking example of this public/private collaboration is the support given by HADOPI to Unifab during the organization of its consumer awareness campaign.

Several arguments were raised: the difficulty for companies to communicate on the counterfeiting of their own product, in that it can be perceived as an admission of weakness, especially for companies in the luxury sector.

Several companies have chosen to take a stand against online counterfeiting: this is the case of Christian Louboutin. Xavier Ragot, legal director of the brand, had the opportunity to speak and explain how, by creating a website and an internal service dedicated to the fight against counterfeiting, and accessible to consumers, the brand was able to reduce this scourge.

During the second morning, the discussion focused on the DSA (Digital Services Act) and the new players present on the market, new practices and new legislation, before ending with a round table discussion chaired by Mrs. Delphine Sarfati-Sobreira, General Manager of Unifab, on the interactions between the virtual and the real.

This round table was marked by efficiency and a good knowledge of new actors and new practices. It was emphasized that platforms should cooperate to share a maximum of knowledge around these new issues, since they are the first to access them.

These two mornings were respectively closed by a speech of Mr. Gérald Darmanin, Minister of the Interior, as well as by a speech of Mr. Olivier Dussopt, Minister in charge of Public Accounts at the Ministry of Economy. 

Our firm actively participates in the fight against the scourge of counterfeiting through its practice, its expertise, and its membership in the anti-counterfeiting network INCOPRO.

By the IP-IT team of UGGC Law Firm

Sources : https://www.unifab.com/en/25-eme-forum-europeen-de-la-propriete-intellectuelle/