How the system works
Blanca Arteche, member of the EUIPO Observatory as Project manager for the Enforcement Tools, started with a brief presentation about the EDB, its main features and how the system works.
She explained how this free of charge platform benefits right holders by allowing the online exchange of information directly both with Customs of all 28 EU Member States and police forces using the system. This mechanism helps enforcers to better identify counterfeit products and even allows the right holders to get to know infringing cases beforehand when they have been alerted by the authorities to suspicious cases.
She also explained some other new functionalities of the EDB, such as the possibility for rights holders to conveniently file the Customs Application For Action (AFA) in their preferred language and the system conveniently translates the full information on products, IP rights and logistics into any other language of the countries applying the AFA.
The IP owner perspective
Afterwards she passed the floor to Heike Schulz, who attended the workshop on behalf of Coty and focused her speech on the company’s enforcement, especially in relation to the cosmetics sector. She gave very useful tips about how to better protect distinctive signs, highlighting the importance of registering them also within the EDB.
She also had the opportunity to introduce the new Anti-Counterfeiting Rapid Intelligence System (ACRIS), meant to be a single database for European businesses and authorities and to which the EDB is also linked.
Enforcement advantages
Lastly, Miguel Fayos of the Spanish Guardia Civil, acting both at the borders but also in the internal market and a regular user the EDB in his daily work, joined the workshop to provide the attendees with a perspective from the enforcement authorities.
He explained the advantages of the EDB for enforcement authorities, due to the capacity of the EDB when it comes to send information on potential infringements and the immediacy of the communications in a safe secured system. In addition, when asked by an attendee, he remarked how important it is for their day-to-day work to have, thanks to the EDB, a proper list of contacts for each rights holder in order to be able to communicate directly with the relevant contact people and, consequently, to speed up the process.
The participation of these three guests, sharing their different experiences in relation to the EDB, allowed the attendees to have the full perspective of this platform, being able to better understand its uses and the benefits that the EDB can provide in their IP rights enforcement programmes throughout Europe.
For further information on the EDB we recommend to visit EUIPO’s dedicated page.
A short webinar on AFA creation will take place on 6th December at 10:00. If you are interested please email Observatory.EDB@euipo.europa.eu
By Sonia Santos of Grau & Angulo, a member of the MARQUES ACPT Team
Issue 071
