On Friday 28 September, Mr. Tobias Freeman, Senior Legal Officer, represented the Siracusa International Institute at a joint expert meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) at the EUIPO’s headquarters in Alicante, Spain.
The meeting was focused on bridging the institutional gaps that enable illicit trade in small parcels, and took place in the context of cooperation between the EUIPO and OECD Task Force on Countering Illicit Trade. The Institute is a member of the OECD Task Force and recently contributed to its public consultation on improving transparency in Free Trade Zones.
The Alicante meeting provided a fruitful opportunity for relevant policy communities in government, the private sector and civil society to work together towards a common objective of reducing vulnerabilities of this trade channel to trafficking.
The various sessions offered an opportunity to review the evidence concerning the growth of trade in small parcels and implications and risks for illicit trade. The meeting also discussed options for strengthening enforcement through greater public private partnerships in this area.
