JEDDAH, 31 December 2007 — The Fourth Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy will be held in Dubai on Feb. 3-5, 2008, the first time that it will be held outside Europe.
On top of the agenda at the global convention is the development of strategies and appropriate mechanisms that will tackle the counterfeiting and piracy around the world, which has seriously inhibited the growth and development of the global economy, and has put the health and safety of global consumers at risk.
“The importance of the Fourth Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy is to unite the efforts of those in charge of combating this phenomenon, and establish cooperation among them, as the conference provides an opportunity for participants to exchange views and experiences, especially that the conference is held in accordance with the recommendations of the previous conferences held in the years 2004, 2005, 2007, in Brussels, Lyon and Geneva, respectively,” said Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Zubeidi, executive director of Hemaya Universal.
“It has become imperative for the private sector to cooperate with government bodies to combat counterfeiting and piracy, especially since the practice has increased rapidly in light of the liberalization policies of a growing number of countries, which allow the easy and unimpeded flow of goods in line with the objectives of the World Trade Organization (WTO). With such liberalization, however, came the exponential increase in the number of counterfeit items, and their easy passage to markets all over the world. This dilemma has necessitated more serious action and cooperation from countries as well as private organization to stop counterfeiting from flourishing here in the region, or elsewhere abroad,” he further said.
He also said that “as a company specializing in providing support to consumer protection and the protection of intellectual property rights in Saudi Arabia and the Arab region, we decided to get involved in conference as a Platinum sponsor to underscore our commitment to putting an end to counterfeiting and piracy, as well as to learn and take advantage of international views and experiences and how they can best be applied in our own efforts to stop counterfeiting in the Arab world.”
Hemaya Universal, in collaboration with the Arab League, is also organizing the First Arabian Consumer and Brand Protection Forum which will be held in late 2008 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia as a strategic follow up to the forthcoming global conference, he added.
On the sidelines of the conference, an exhibition will be organized to demonstrate to the participants the latest techniques and services provided by companies and global organizations to combat counterfeiting and piracy.
The conference will be held under the auspices of Dubai Customs Authority and the World Customs Organization (WCO), in conjunction with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the International Police (INTERPOL), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), International Organization of Trademarks (INTA) and the International Security Management Association (ISMA).
