The Brand Owners Protection Group (BPG) is entering Kuwait for the first time to reinforce its continuous anti-counterfeiting initiatives across the Gulf region.

In co-operation with the Kuwaiti Customs, the BPG is organising its inaugural training sessions in the country aimed at educating 100 inspectors from Kuwait Customs on the procedures of combating counterfeit trade.

The two-day training session, which begins on Monday, is the first of itsr kind to be arranged by the BPG or any independent brand protection organisation in Kuwait.

Following the Kuwaiti Customs' initiative to create an Intellectual Property (IP) unit, headed by Osama Al Shami and responsible for monitoring and acting against the proliferation of counterfeit products, the BPG is launching a series of pioneering training sessions with the main objective of equipping the inspectors with critical knowledge and developing their expertise in distinguishing counterfeit products from authentic merchandise.

Cultivating these skills is crucial in curbing the illegal trade of counterfeit items and safeguarding the intellectual property rights of legitimate brand owners operating within the Gulf state, said a BPG official.

Omar Shteiwi, chairman of the Board at the BPG and Regional Intellectual Property advisor for Nestlé Middle East,  thanked the Kuwait Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Minister Ahmed Rashid Al Haroon, the Kuwaiti Customs Authority and its director general Ibrahim Adullah Al Ghanim for their role in combating counterfeits.

“We as the leading investors are looking forward to seeing tangible results from these training sessions which will most certainly protect the Intellectual Property rights of the brand owners, improve confidence levels within the investment environment, and comply with applicable laws and regulations,” Shteiwi added.

This event carves a milestone in the history of the BPG and illustrates the organisation’s determination and hard work to protect the rights of brand owners and consumers across the GCC region.

Represented by leading multinational companies from the food and beverage, fast-moving consumer goods, telecommunications, and automotive spare parts industries, the BPG is dedicated to spreading awareness on the harmful socio-economic impacts of the illicit trade of counterfeit goods and mitigating these effects through education, prevention and constant vigilance.-TradeArabia News Service