State Secretary at the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Vesna Kovač and Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport put into operation a machine for destroying counterfeit goods at the Market Inspectorate’s headquarters in Belgrade.
This multifunctional machine will enable proper handling of counterfeit goods by the market inspection in a manner that prevents the re-emergence of unsafe counterfeits on the market, said State Secretary Vesna Kovač, adding that the procedure is environmentally acceptable and that the application of the new legal framework for waste management presupposes the application of new procedures in line with EU standards.
She said that today we have had a chance to see the process of destruction of goods that do not meet safety requirements which are therefore not eligible for re-placing on the market, such as extension cords, helmets for motorcyclists and other counterfeit goods that could have harmful effects upon use.
Kovač added that the goods for destruction have been the subject of control by market inspectors who assessed that there are safety risks and that these goods must be destroyed to prevent their reuse.
The machine for destroying counterfeits is part of the project entitled “Implementation of intellectual property rights” implemented by the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications, the French expertise agency “Expertise France” and the EU Delegation to Serbia, the EU donation has provided three machines for the destruction of counterfeit goods.
Destroying counterfeits using these machines is the only sure way to prevent counterfeit products, dangerous to the health and safety of consumers, from reappearing on the market.
The machines for destroying counterfeit goods operate according to the highest European standards – in an economically acceptable manner, which, at the same time, does not threaten the environment.
In addition to the warehouse under the supervision of the market inspection in Viline Vode in Belgrade and the warehouse in Irig, the third plant is located in Kruševac and is under the supervision of the Customs Administration.
The capacity of these three machines is sufficient to cover the quantity of goods seized by the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications and the Customs Administration and will significantly help in the process of combating piracy in Serbia.
As part of the project entitled “Implementation of intellectual property rights” funded by the EU with EUR 2.8 million from the pre-accession funds, the campaign “Counterfeits Cost More, I Buy Originals” has been launched, carried out by the Market Inspectorate of the Serbian Ministry of Trade, French technical expertise agency “Expertise France” and the EU Delegation to Serbia.
Within the campaign, with the aim of raising public awareness about the importance of protecting and enforcing intellectual property rights in Serbia, five informative and educational talks of market inspectors with consumers have been conducted in Belgrade, Kragujevac and Novi Sad. On this occasion, consumers filled more than 500 anonymous surveys on the subject of purchase and use of counterfeit and pirated goods.
