FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
U.S. Embassy Nicosia
April 9, 2009

[Ελληνικά - pdf]

U.S. Embassy Cosponsors Workshop and Round Table Discussion on Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement in Cyprus

On Thursday, April 9, the Cyprus American Business Association (CyABA) and the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia cosponsored a workshop and round table discussion on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) enforcement in Cyprus. The event was held at the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) building in Nicosia, from 08:30 to 14:45.

US Ambassador to Cyprus Mr. Frank C. Urbancic, Registrar of Companies & Official Receiver Mr. Spyros Kokkinos, and CCCI President Mr. Manthos Mavrommatis, among others, delivered brief, welcoming addresses.

The workshop provided a forum for discussion of IPR issues among the various Government of Cyprus agencies dealing with IPR (including the Police, Department of Customs, the Competition and Consumer Protection Division, and the Office of the Official Receiver and Registrar) and private sector representatives from both Cyprus and abroad. Representatives from the software, film, music and merchandise industries voiced their concerns on IPR enforcement in a constructive and informal way. The discussion evolved around practical ways of making enforcement more effective and resulted in practical suggestions to enhance these efforts.

The event, the forth of its kind is becoming an institution in Cyprus, following the success of three similar workshops in 2007, 2005 and 2004. This year the workshop featured, among others, international speakers from the Motion Picture Association (MPA), the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), as well as the US Department of Justice. The event improved cooperation between the government and the private sector on fighting IPR piracy.

CyABA, operating under the auspices of the CCCI, has always attributed great importance to the protection of IPR in Cyprus and co-sponsored this workshop to better serve the needs of the business community in Cyprus.