Measures and Activities of Enforcement and Respect of Intellectual Property Rights

Considering the proportions of the problem and social significance of the infringements of intellectual property rights, first of all counterfeiting and piracy, in addition to the regular law enforcement by competent bodies and courts in the Republic of Croatia, other activities are being undertaken as well, intended to raise the level of recognition and respect of intellectual property rights.

The National Strategy for the Development of the Intellectual Property System of the Republic of Croatia for the period 2010-2012, adopted by the Government of the Republic of Croatia on 1 April 2010, comprises an array of measures for the development of the national intellectual property system with an aim to provide for optimum conditions for the application of intellectual property as a lever of economic growth and a driver of scientific, cultural and social progress in total.

One of 6 strategic goals of the National Strategy is also to raise the level of recognition and respect of intellectual property rights, with a number of measures provided for its achievement, a part of which has been or is being already implemented.

Special attention here is paid to the raising of the level of public awareness of the importance and value of intellectual property, which was the aim for competent bodies and partner organizations from public and private sector to prepare a joint Communication Strategy for Raising the Level of Public Awareness of Respect and Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights for the period 2010 – 2012. The implementation of the Communication Strategy comprises a number of activities that include the implementation of public campaigns intended for the public to be informed on social significance of the intellectual property protection system. A special emphasis is placed on providing consumers with the information on the risks of counterfeiting and piracy, especially the hazards of counterfeits dangerous to human health and safety. Moreover, the public is being regularly informed on the activities concerning the enforcement of intellectual property rights by individual competent bodies, as well as on rather important results in this area. The establishment of this web site, as a joint site of competent bodies, public organizations and associations of the rights holders and consumers, is one of the important activities in providing information to the public as well. In addition hereto, the Government and competent bodies try to broaden the knowledge of social significance of intellectual property by supporting relevant scientific and professional studies to be developed in this field, by monitoring international professional studies and their presentation in the public and to relevant professional circles.

In order to increase efficiency of the legal implementation (enforcement) of intellectual property rights, the Government and competent institutions have undertaken and undertake a number of measures. Building coordination and cooperation among competent bodies and public organizations is to be especially emphasized among them, as well as the organization of rights holders and consumers, by establishing a permanent formal coordination mechanism, resulting in this joint web site as well. This mechanism should help provide for a better exchange of information among each other, preparation and implementation of joint projects, professional support to the building of the rights enforcement system, monitoring of world trends and implementation of best practice, as well as systematic and integrated monitoring of statistical data on the infringements of intellectual property rights in Croatia.