An Effective Response To CounterfeitersAn Effective Response To Counterfeiters

Avv. Carlo Alberto DemichelisAvv. Carlo Alberto Demichelis

Vice-President, Indicam – Vice-President, Indicam – Istituto di Centromarca per la Lotta alla ContraffazioneIstituto di Centromarca per la Lotta alla Contraffazione

Partner, Responsible for Trademark Area, Partner, Responsible for Trademark Area, Jacobacci & Partners S.p.A.Jacobacci & Partners S.p.A.

INDICAM – ISTITUTO DI CENTROMARCA PER LA INDICAM – ISTITUTO DI CENTROMARCA PER LA LOTTA ALLA CONTRAFFAZIONE (1)LOTTA ALLA CONTRAFFAZIONE (1)

INDICAM IN PILLSINDICAM IN PILLS: :

Established in 1987. Established in 1987. Members: Members: i)i) Honorary Members (3): Confcommercio, Confindustria, Honorary Members (3): Confcommercio, Confindustria,

Confesercenti.Confesercenti.ii)ii) Collective Members (11): Category Associations.Collective Members (11): Category Associations.iii)iii) Full Members (94): Trademark Owners, Manufacturers and Full Members (94): Trademark Owners, Manufacturers and

Supplier Companies. Supplier Companies. iv) Associated Members (76): Suppliers of Anti-Counterfeiting iv) Associated Members (76): Suppliers of Anti-Counterfeiting

Technologies; IP Law Firms; Trademark and Patent Technologies; IP Law Firms; Trademark and Patent Consultancy Firms; Investigative Agencies Specialised in IP Consultancy Firms; Investigative Agencies Specialised in IP Intelligence.Intelligence.

INDICAM – ISTITUTO DI CENTROMARCA PER LA INDICAM – ISTITUTO DI CENTROMARCA PER LA LOTTA ALLA CONTRAFFAZIONE (2)LOTTA ALLA CONTRAFFAZIONE (2)

Indicam is the only Italian association being: Inter-sector-Indicam is the only Italian association being: Inter-sector-based, Inter-professional and active on the anti-counterfeiting based, Inter-professional and active on the anti-counterfeiting scenario.scenario.

INDICAM – ISTITUTO DI CENTROMARCA PER LA INDICAM – ISTITUTO DI CENTROMARCA PER LA LOTTA ALLA CONTRAFFAZIONE (3)LOTTA ALLA CONTRAFFAZIONE (3)

THREE MAIN ACTIVITIES:THREE MAIN ACTIVITIES:

Development of an anti-counterfeiting culture.Development of an anti-counterfeiting culture.

Cooperation with international, European, National and Local Cooperation with international, European, National and Local authorities in anti-counterfeiting issues. authorities in anti-counterfeiting issues.

Facilitator between the private and public sectorsFacilitator between the private and public sectors in anti- in anti-counterfeiting issues. counterfeiting issues.

THE OVERALL PICTURE (1)THE OVERALL PICTURE (1)

Since counterfeiters do not publish their balances, numbers on Since counterfeiters do not publish their balances, numbers on turnovers and percentage of world trade are by definition only turnovers and percentage of world trade are by definition only estimates; for example, WTO estimates that counterfeit and estimates; for example, WTO estimates that counterfeit and piracy account for some 8-10% of world trade. In 2007 OCSE piracy account for some 8-10% of world trade. In 2007 OCSE considered that the total value of the transborder trade in considered that the total value of the transborder trade in counterfeited and/or pirated goods is in the area of US $ 200 counterfeited and/or pirated goods is in the area of US $ 200 billionbillion. .

COUNTERFEITING IS A REAL THREAT ON BOTH THE OFF-LINE AND ON-LINE WORLD

THE OVERALL PICTURE (2)THE OVERALL PICTURE (2)

What is not an estimate, but a fact, is that virtually no What is not an estimate, but a fact, is that virtually no industry is exempt from counterfeiting and/or piracy.industry is exempt from counterfeiting and/or piracy.

According to the numbers available from Customs' seizure According to the numbers available from Customs' seizure in Europe and elsewhere, counterfeiting activities are still in Europe and elsewhere, counterfeiting activities are still on the rise. on the rise.

Internet is quickly becoming the most important source for Internet is quickly becoming the most important source for infringing products, for both counterfeiters and consumers.infringing products, for both counterfeiters and consumers.

KEY FACTORSKEY FACTORS

i) Situation awareness. i) Situation awareness.

ii) Organised use of information.ii) Organised use of information.

iii) Systematic response through the choice of the most iii) Systematic response through the choice of the most appropriate enforcement action, within an anti-appropriate enforcement action, within an anti-counterfeiting program.counterfeiting program.

SITUATION AWARENESS (1) SITUATION AWARENESS (1) DETERMINE THE FACTUAL SITUATIONDETERMINE THE FACTUAL SITUATION

i) Which products are most commonly counterfeited?i) Which products are most commonly counterfeited?

ii) Where are usually sold: open area markets, street traders, ii) Where are usually sold: open area markets, street traders, events or shops, Internet.events or shops, Internet.

iii) Products which are copies of the “real thing” vs. products that iii) Products which are copies of the “real thing” vs. products that are not. are not.

SITUATION AWARENESS (2) SITUATION AWARENESS (2) ACQUISITION OF INFORMATIONACQUISITION OF INFORMATION

i) Products identification: Use of security labels.i) Products identification: Use of security labels.

ii) Involve licensees, sale force and clients.ii) Involve licensees, sale force and clients.

iii) Apply for Customs survey of imports and exports.iii) Apply for Customs survey of imports and exports.

ORGANISED USE OF INFORMATIONORGANISED USE OF INFORMATION

i) Appoint a specific responsible for the coordination and i) Appoint a specific responsible for the coordination and handling of all the anti-counterfeiting activities.handling of all the anti-counterfeiting activities.

ii) Circulate information among all the interested players.ii) Circulate information among all the interested players.

iii) Update constantly the information necessary to identify iii) Update constantly the information necessary to identify the authorised products.the authorised products.

SYSTEMATIC RESPONSE WITHIN AN SYSTEMATIC RESPONSE WITHIN AN ANTI-COUNTERFEITING PROGRAMANTI-COUNTERFEITING PROGRAM

i) Fix thresholds and react in each and every occasion in i) Fix thresholds and react in each and every occasion in which these thresholds are crossed.which these thresholds are crossed.

ii) New products and new trademarks have to be designed ii) New products and new trademarks have to be designed and selected bearing in mind that they will need to be and selected bearing in mind that they will need to be protected and enforced. protected and enforced.

iii) There is no magic recipe, but there are cost-effective iii) There is no magic recipe, but there are cost-effective responses. responses.

THERE IS NO VICTORY THERE IS NO VICTORY WITHOUT INVESTMENTSWITHOUT INVESTMENTS

ii) Allocate budget.) Allocate budget.

ii) The budget determines the activity.ii) The budget determines the activity.

iii) Anti-counterfeiting activities are a key factor in both iii) Anti-counterfeiting activities are a key factor in both the on-line and off-line markets: the budget needs to be the on-line and off-line markets: the budget needs to be defined taking into full account the importance of both of defined taking into full account the importance of both of them.them.

COUNTERFEITING IN THE ON-LINE WORLD – COUNTERFEITING IN THE ON-LINE WORLD – KEY ISSUES OF COMMON INTEREST KEY ISSUES OF COMMON INTEREST

FOR RIGHT OWNERSFOR RIGHT OWNERS

i) Identification of infringing products.i) Identification of infringing products.

ii) Identification of the sellers.ii) Identification of the sellers.

iii) Repetition of sales of the same infringing items.iii) Repetition of sales of the same infringing items.

iv) Responsibility of Internet Service Providers (ISP) / iv) Responsibility of Internet Service Providers (ISP) / E-platforms.E-platforms.

IDENTIFICATION OF THE SELLERS (1)IDENTIFICATION OF THE SELLERS (1)

i) Sellers identify themselves with pseudonyms and i) Sellers identify themselves with pseudonyms and identity is hidden to both right owners and consumers. identity is hidden to both right owners and consumers.

ii) When right owners take steps to identify them, the ii) When right owners take steps to identify them, the available info and data are quite often meaningless.available info and data are quite often meaningless.

iii) Sellers may have multiple pseudonyms. iii) Sellers may have multiple pseudonyms.

IDENTIFICATION OF THE SELLERS (2)IDENTIFICATION OF THE SELLERS (2)

iv) Suspended sellers may easily recommence operating iv) Suspended sellers may easily recommence operating simply by using a new pseudonym and a new credit simply by using a new pseudonym and a new credit card / bank account. card / bank account.

v) The above applies to both (so called) private sellers as v) The above applies to both (so called) private sellers as

well as to professional sellerswell as to professional sellers..

REPETITION OF SALES OF REPETITION OF SALES OF INFRINGING ITEMSINFRINGING ITEMS

i) No or ineffective risk profile analysis carried off-line by i) No or ineffective risk profile analysis carried off-line by many ISP / E-platforms. many ISP / E-platforms.

ii) Cross-border sales normal and widely available. ii) Cross-border sales normal and widely available.

iii) Use of multiple IDs is a strong facilitator for the iii) Use of multiple IDs is a strong facilitator for the

repetition of sales of infringing items.repetition of sales of infringing items.

RESPONSIBILITY OF ISP / E-PLATFORMS RESPONSIBILITY OF ISP / E-PLATFORMS

Current legal framework in Europe includes exemptions of responsibility Current legal framework in Europe includes exemptions of responsibility for ISP and exonerates them from a general and active duty of survey as for ISP and exonerates them from a general and active duty of survey as to the contents of the on-line information: articles 14 and 15, EC Directive to the contents of the on-line information: articles 14 and 15, EC Directive 2000/31; articles 16 and 17, Italian Decree Law No. 70/2003.2000/31; articles 16 and 17, Italian Decree Law No. 70/2003.

Exemptions of responsibility and exonerations from duty of general and Exemptions of responsibility and exonerations from duty of general and active survey only regard the activities of mere conduit and hosting of active survey only regard the activities of mere conduit and hosting of information.information.

ISP remain responsible in all those cases in which they are conscious of ISP remain responsible in all those cases in which they are conscious of the infringing or otherwise illicit nature of the activity or information and/or the infringing or otherwise illicit nature of the activity or information and/or when they are aware of facts and circumstances which make evident the when they are aware of facts and circumstances which make evident the infringing and/or illicit nature of the information or activity, and/or infringing and/or illicit nature of the information or activity, and/or whenever they are made aware of the above and do not immediately take whenever they are made aware of the above and do not immediately take the necessary steps to remove the information or to disable its access.the necessary steps to remove the information or to disable its access.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR ISP / E-PLATFORMS: A RESPONSIBILITY FOR ISP / E-PLATFORMS: A DIFFERENT LOOK INTO THE PRESENT AND FUTUREDIFFERENT LOOK INTO THE PRESENT AND FUTURE

ISP which do not only provide mere conduit or hosting services should ISP which do not only provide mere conduit or hosting services should not benefit of the exoneration from responsibility and/or exemptions not benefit of the exoneration from responsibility and/or exemptions from the general duty of survey and/or active survey as to the nature of from the general duty of survey and/or active survey as to the nature of the information or the activity.the information or the activity.

In Europe, national laws are free to regulate the responsibility of ISP in In Europe, national laws are free to regulate the responsibility of ISP in connection with activities and services which fall outside the scope of connection with activities and services which fall outside the scope of the mere conduit or hosting services, within the framework of the the mere conduit or hosting services, within the framework of the general duty of diligence which is reasonably set forth by local laws.general duty of diligence which is reasonably set forth by local laws.

Within the above limits, national rules can and should integrate the Within the above limits, national rules can and should integrate the directive; but in perspective, a new and updated European wide (at directive; but in perspective, a new and updated European wide (at least) legal framework which will take in full account the lessons least) legal framework which will take in full account the lessons learned since the entry into force of EC Directive 31/2000, is needed.learned since the entry into force of EC Directive 31/2000, is needed.

HOW TO NAVIGATE AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE (1): HOW TO NAVIGATE AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE (1): 3 DANGEROUS PREJUDICES3 DANGEROUS PREJUDICES

i) Counterfeiting and piracy just happen.i) Counterfeiting and piracy just happen.

ii) Anti-counterfeiting strategies can only be reactive. ii) Anti-counterfeiting strategies can only be reactive.

iii) Anti-counterfeiting is strictly a matter for lawyers and iii) Anti-counterfeiting is strictly a matter for lawyers and

investigators.investigators.

HOW TO NAVIGATE AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE (2): HOW TO NAVIGATE AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE (2): 3 SOUND RULES3 SOUND RULES

Anti-counterfeiting strategies: Anti-counterfeiting strategies:

i) have to be dealt with as a part of the overall company i) have to be dealt with as a part of the overall company strategy.strategy.

ii) have to be supported by top management. ii) have to be supported by top management.

iii) have to be funded adequately and organised into an anti-iii) have to be funded adequately and organised into an anti-counterfeiting program. counterfeiting program.

HOW TO NAVIGATE AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE (3): HOW TO NAVIGATE AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE (3): 3 PRECIOUS ADVICES3 PRECIOUS ADVICES

i) Have the tightest control of your company's value – chain in i) Have the tightest control of your company's value – chain in all directions. all directions.

ii) Make your anti-counterfeiting strategies a part of your ii) Make your anti-counterfeiting strategies a part of your marketing policies. marketing policies.

iii) Involve in them all your employees and clients.iii) Involve in them all your employees and clients.

For further info: For further info:

Avv. Carlo Alberto Demichelis Avv. Carlo Alberto Demichelis

cdemichelis@jacobacci.comcdemichelis@jacobacci.com

Tel.: 0039-11-2440311Tel.: 0039-11-2440311

Fax: 0039-11-286300Fax: 0039-11-286300