OSCE supports intellectual property rights protection in Kazakhstan

A two-day training seminar on intellectual property rights for customs officers related to Kazakhstan’s forthcoming accession to the World Trade Organization concluded on 8 July 2015 in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The event was co-organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana and the State Revenue Committee for some 50 customs officials from the central and regional offices. The participants shared their experience in identifying the counterfeit and pirated goods, reviewed the gaps in current national legislation and discussed challenges in co-operation among the international and national actors and the ways to address them.

An international expert from the World Customs Organization reviewed major international agreements on intellectual property rights and emphasized the importance of co-operation between those possessing intellectual property rights and state officials. Some practical examples of detecting and identifying counterfeit goods in accordance with existing international practices and recommendations were presented as well.

Representatives of major companies that operate in Kazakhstan such as Toyota, Procter & Gamble, Casio, Jack Daniel’s, Reckitt Benckiser, LRC Products and Samsung shared with the trainees their experience on identification and detection of counterfeit and pirated products and pointed to the existing shortages in the protection of intellectual property rights.

The event is part of the Office’s long-term efforts to support economic development in the host country in according with international standards. It is a follow-up to the Office's earlier activities on promoting the protection of intellectual property rights.