Publicat pe 31/03/2023

Bucharest, March 30, 2023: The Romanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIR), together with the Africa IP SME Helpdesk, organized the Doing business in North Africa seminar on Thursday, March 30, 2020, in order to support the Romanian business environment in terms of expanding the activity in the markets of this region.

The Africa IP SME Helpdesk, CCIR’s new partner, is an initiative funded by the European Union and implemented by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). The agency offers services for registration and protection of trademarks, models and industrial designs, as well as cooperation with national and international authorities and institutions in the field of intellectual property.

“For the Romanian economy, it is very important to develop exports as a means of increasing competitiveness and bringing long-term prosperity. Also, the internationalization of the Romanian business is a necessity for entrepreneurs from our country to expand their markets and gain access to new resources and technologies. Equally important is the collaboration between Romanian and foreign companies, as well as the need to create partnerships and business networks abroad. The condition is that the authorities support the internationalization of Romanian business through policies that facilitate exports and promote foreign investments. Romania’s trade with countries outside the European Union represents an opportunity for the development of the Romanian economy and local companies, as these countries have large markets and can provide access to new resources and technologies. These commercial relations must be based on the principles of fair competition, mutual respect and transparency, so that they are beneficial for all actors involved”, said the president of the CCIR, Mr. Mihai Daraban.

“Protecting intellectual property rights is crucial for companies wishing to operate in North Africa. Although the region has made significant progress in recent years with respect to intellectual property rights, there are still challenges in enforcing laws and regulations in this area. Thus, it is very important for businessmen who wish to expand their businesses in this region to take steps to protect their intellectual property rights, including obtaining patents, registering trademarks, registering copyrights, and protecting trade secrets. . The legal framework for the protection of intellectual property is generally based on international conventions and treaties, such as the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and the Berne Convention for the Protection of Property industrial. It is also essential to seek local legal advice to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations and to establish strong intellectual property protection strategies,” said intellectual property expert Mr. Marius Schneider.