Second Regional (West Zone) Customs Training Workshop: Implementation of IPR (Imported Goods) Enforcement Rules, 2007 and, Product Identification Drive

October 12,2012

The Second Regional Customs Workshop for sensitizing Intellectual Property Rights (Imported Goods) Enforcement Rules, 2007 was organized for Custom Officers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Customs Port (JNCH), Nhava Sheva, and was held on 12th October 2012. The workshop was felicitated by the solicited Hon’ble Presence of Shri BaswarajNalegave (Additional Commissioner of Customs, Import) and Shri Suresh Nandanwar (Additional Commissioner of Customs, Import). After the First Regional Customs Workshop at New Delhi, it was encouraging to witness the high attendance and participation from Custom appraisers, inspectors and other officers working at the docks and physically handling the consignments.

At the completion of 5 years of the IPR (Imported Rules) Enforcement Rules 2007, which is a result of the discussions at World Trade Organization, the World Customs Organization, and the World Intellectual Property Organization as well as during negotiations of many multilateral and bilateral free trade agreements, there were several issues which were addressed and weaknesses were examined in the difficulty in effective implementation of the aforesaid rules.

Notorious Counterfeiters use increasingly sophisticated technologies and methods to manufacture high quality counterfeit products so as to evade detection of the infringed products by the right-holders and law enforcement bodies. As the quality of the IPR infringing products has substantially improved and more highly technical goods are involved, customs have found it increasingly difficult to distinguish the genuine products from infringing products.

Brand creation and its protection go hand in hand. The workshop initiated by United IPR along with some of the prominent international brands vis a vis, L’OREAL, LACOSTE, LVMH, RAYBAN, CALVIN KLEIN, WD-40 and SKULL CANDY aptly brought the product identification of the aforementioned right-holders. It is a positive step by the industry to promote the identification techniques of its diverse range of products.

The abovementioned right-holders, represented by United IPR, have zero tolerance for counterfeit goods and it can be assured there have been no cases of custom seizures where goods have been released on account of non-action by the right-holder after receiving the notification by the customs authorities.

Counterfeiters are cancerous growth on evolving Brand Economy, eating away at the quality and recognition created by Eminent Brands through years of hard work and excellence. We are at constant drive to wipe out these notorious Quality Pirates.

FEEDBACK:

The workshop was attended by the Top Officials of the Custom Department and received excellent feedback from the participants. The key suggestions and feedback shared by the participants has been discussed below:

• A.V RAJGURU (Asst. Commissioner) – workshop was well organized and product identification techniques would be useful to the officers.
• P. IMTIYAZ KHAN (Asst. Commissioner) – Presentation from the Quality Control Executives of the companies will be more helpful. Should provide information to the Customs.
• ASHISH MISHRA (Deputy Commissioner of Custom) – interactive, informative. Identification marks for genuine products should be easily available (websites) to Officers.
• UMAR C.P (Superintendent of Customs-Preventive) – very useful, increased knowledge of IPR and identification of original and counterfeit products.
• S. THAVAMANI (Superintendent of Customs-Preventive) – Very informative. No seizure of fake Lacoste products in JNCH, whereas, for other ports the seizures were made which may alarm the officers to make these seizures soon.
• PEEYUSH K. PANDEY (Superintendent of Customs-Preventive) -Knowledgeable. Should be integrated with the Training Institute (NACEN) courses with emphasis on Practical Aspects/ Product Displays/ Advertisements.
• YADRAM B. SINGH (Superintendent of Customs) – informative that will help in enforcement of IPR.
• AJIT SINGH AHIR (Superintendent of Customs) – would provide better understanding while working at airports /cargo.
• ANWAR ZAIDI (Superintendent of Customs) – good idea to display originals.
• YASHODHAN GOSAVI (Appraising Officers) – very useful and informative.
• DATTATRAYA SONU MORE (Appraising Officer) – provided knowledge on distinguishing the products. Should be orientation on every launched product.
• Smt. JYOTI S. DAWARE (Appraising Officer) – very useful for dock officers.
• Smt. SNEHA S. SAWANT (Appraising Officer) – useful for examining goods in the IPR angle. Spreading awareness to customers is required.
• Mr. T.B. ZAWARE (Appraising Officer) – informative and useful. Custom Authorities should be kept informed about the seizures made at various customs stations.
• RAJENDER PRASAD SWAMI (Appraising Officer) – helpful for identification.
• RAJEEV AGGARWAL (Appraising Officer) – More workshops should be conducted with prior notices as they are very informative.
• R. SURENDRA NAIR (Appraiser) – very informative. Updated information should be passed on to the dept. regularly.
• K. VIJAYA KUMAR (Appraiser) – More focus should be prioritized on products likely to be imported, classification and custom tariff.
• SURENDER KUMAR (Appraiser) – useful to identify the counterfeit products, better yet if the original and counterfeit products are arranged for such workshops.
• Smt. A.A.JOHN (Appraiser) – well presented.
• RAVI BHUSHAN (Inspector-Examiner) – emerging trend in counterfeiting of any product may be given more importance. Overall workshop was useful and informative.