Counterfeits

As owner of a trademark, design, patent and/or copyright, it is critical to be able to protect these exclusive rights against the unlawful use of such by third parties. One of the main reasons for such protection is to maintain and increase the value of investments made in R&D and marketing. Counterfeit and pirated products are often of inferior quality compared to the genuine goods, and it is not unusual that they may actually be dangerous to consumers. Some such examples are exploding batteries, drugs containing illegal substances and malfunctioning toys.

Unfortunately, the trade in counterfeits and pirated goods is increasing and today constitutes about 5 percent of world trade. Such counterfeiting targets all types of items, including clothes, accessories, electronics, cosmetics, toys, drugs, spare parts and food and beverages.

Zacco has extensive experience in handling all types of action to combat counterfeits and pirated goods. We represent several large companies in their battle against counterfeiting and piracy all over the world. Zacco’s work in this area encompasses customs actions, infringement investigations and negotiations, agreements and court proceedings.