Product Identification Training seminar

Drakopoulos and React hosted a Product Identification Training seminar in Nicosia, Cyprus on 23 April, bringing together 40 customs officers from the Nicosia, Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos departments. The event was held at the Cyprus Customs Headquarters within the premises of the Cyprus Ministry of Finance.

The seminar raised awareness of goods infringing intellectual property rights, while sixteen globally well-known companies, members of React, offered training on their brand protection strategies, equipping participants with practical tools to identify counterfeit goods quickly and effectively.

Mari Charalambous Kliriotou, Director General of the Cyprus Department of Customs and Excise, emphasized the pivotal role of customs authorities in effectively enforcing IP rights regulations and combating illegal trade, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening controls and cooperating with rights holders and enforcement partners.

Michalis Kosmopoulos, Partner at Drakopoulos, emphasized that this training initiative represents another milestone in the constructive and ongoing collaboration between brand owners and enforcement authorities. He also highlighted  the collective commitment of all parties involved to intensify their joint efforts in tackling counterfeiting and protecting intellectual property rights.

Mirjana Velkova of React thanked the authorities for participating in this important brand protection training and emphasized that law enforcement professionals play a vital role in safeguarding intellectual property and combating counterfeit goods – efforts that are essential for consumer safety and brand integrity.

The seminar was widely praised by participants as a valuable and actionable initiative.

As React’s official partner in Greece and Cyprus, Drakopoulos is committed to supporting both the authorities and private sector stakeholders in safeguarding supply chains and tackling the proliferation of counterfeit goods.

React is a not-for-profit organization with over 30 years of experience in fighting counterfeit trade. It aims to drive its online monitoring, customs enforcement and investigations to a level where counterfeiting is significantly reduced.