ISLAMABAD: Dr Arslan Subuktageen Director General (DG) Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Enforcement said Pakistan clinched top position at JCO HYGIEA Italy final report where 38 countries from Europe and Asia presented their performance against counterfeit and infringing “fast moving consumer goods’.
According to details told by DG IPR Enforcement Dr. Arslan while talking with Customs Today in an exclusive interview, the IPR Islamabad made successful seizures of counterfeit and fake products comprising personal care products, hygiene and household products, cosmetics, food and health related goods, adding that to make the IPR Enforcement Islamabad more efficient it conducted a seminar on the topic of “safeguarding consumer rights through IPR enforcement” in which Member Customs Operations Dr Jawwad owais Agha participated as a chief guest as well as the IPR Islamabad arranged various workshops for Customs officials and officers including clearing agents throughout the country to understand methods and procedures to cope with violation of IPR Enforcement laws of Pakistan.
Answering a query regarding DG IPR enforcement’s visit to Italy to attend meeting on Joint Customs Operation HYGIEA Rome where Pakistan got top position among 33 European and Asian countries, Dr. Arslan said that the Federal Board of Revenue had nominated him to attend the meeting on JCO (Joint Customs Operations) at HYGIEA in Rome which was organized by the European Anti Fraud Office named OLAF which is associated with the administration of ASEM.
Telling the further details, he said that ASEM is an inter-governmental platform of 51 member states of Europe and Asia, it was created for the purpose of cooperation on areas of mutual interest including Customs with the objectives of strengthening relationship between Asian and European countries. He further told that two observer organizations viz OLAF and EUROPOL also participated in the meeting.
Providing the background details, he said that during the 12th ASEM meeting in October 2017 in Berlin, it was agreed upon to focus on the movement of counterfeit and infringing FMCG (Fast Moving Consumers Goods) and for their interdiction for two year i.e. 208 and 2019, he added that the FMCGs include counterfeit personal care products, hygiene and household products, cosmetics, food and health related goods.
Dr. Arslan told that the ASEM delegated the European Anti Fraud Office with mandate to prepare and coordinate operation HYGIEA with the clear mandate to place above-mentioned sensitive and high value goods under surveillance for seizures/forfeitures, so as to thwart and prevent the international movement of counterfeit and infringing FMCGs.
He said that Pakistan jointed the JCO HYGIEA in March 2019 and FBR nominated the Director General of IPR Enforcement Islamabad to serve as national contact point for the operation, adding that the operational period of JCO HYGIEA spans from 7th April 2019 to 5th September 2019 and on conclusion a debriefing meeting was scheduled by European Anti Fraud Office on 26th to 27th of September 209 at Rome, Italy with the view to evaluate the performance of 38 participating countries out of 5 members of ASEM. A presentation on Pakistan Customs IPR (Enforcement’s) performance on operation HYGIA was presented before the forum by the DG IPR Islamabad.
A final report on the JCO HYGIEA was formulated by OLAF wherein performance of Pakistan was at the top with 12 seizures/forfeitures followed by Malta with 6 seizures while Italy, France and Bangladesh were at 3rd position with 2 seizures each. The DG IPR said that this outstanding performance of Pakistan Customs IPR was acknowledged and highly appreciated by the OLAF, EUROPOL, ASEM and all participating member states of the JCO HYGIEA bringing a good name for the country including FBR and Pakistan Customs.
