“The real challenge is fighting fakes”

FIAMP, Confindustria and MISE together for protecting companies’ industrial property Bologna's splendid 16h-century Palazzo Magnani, loaned for the occasion by Unicredit, was the setting yesterday for the technical and educational seminar organized by the General Management for the Fight against Counterfeiting-UIBM at the Ministry for Economic Development, and Confindustria together with FIAMP (the Italian federation of personal fashion accessories).   The appointment was the third of a series of seminars held at the Confindustria associations in Italy to raise the awareness of companies with regard to the fight against counterfeiting and the protection of industrial property. Data confirmed that over 50% of the counterfeit products seized by the Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) and Customs Agencies were fashion accessories: a really alarming figure for the sectors represented by FIAMP (bags, footwear, jewelry, eyewear and fur) considering that it is in addition to the illegal products circulating in the online channel.   This is why FIAMP welcomed this series of technical and educational seminars for companies and has been active in promoting them with its member companies. Speakers from the Ministry, the Customs Agency, Guardia di Finanza and experts on IPR discussed the production system's needs and priorities and presented various tools currently available for supporting and protecting industrial property.   FIAMP and ANFAO president Cirillo Marcolin wanted to put across the message that companies must take care of their intangible assets, and therefore their brands, patents and models, in the same way that they take care of their real estate. Industrial property rights are a resource that companies must learn to recognize and protect, because prompt action (registration of brands, models, drawings and patents) gives greater protection later in terms of cost and the possibility of success in any cases of counterfeiting. This policy is fundamental especially for small and mid-size companies that must be helped by the relevant institutions and associations through a profitable public and private collaboration in the interest of companies and the country.