Tunis: Tunisian exporting companies need to protect their trademarks against counterfeiting by registering them both at the national and international levels, said participants in the 2nd Export 2024 Conference, held on Friday by the Export Promotion Centre (CEPEX). Taking the floor during this conference held under the theme "Protection of trademarks overseas: Steps and tools for safe export," CEPEX CEO Mourad Ben Hassine pointed out that companies nowadays have no choice, in an increasingly globalised world with a growing competition, but to preserve their intellectual property which acts as "a shield" against counterfeiting and helps reduce the legal and commercial risks associated with export. "A well-protected intellectual property helps companies avoid legal disputes and provide them with the opportunity to improve the value of their assets, especially in the technology, research and development fields," he affirmed. "By complying with this requirement, companies can gain easier access to new markets and successfully expand their activities on a global scale. It is a decisive lever that ensures secure access to the market and the preservation of market share on an inevitably competitive international scene," he added, pointing out in this regard that the Export Promotion Fund (FOPRODEX) grants all resident and approved companies a subsidy of up to 40% of the costs of registering a trademark on a given market or on a group of markets, with a ceiling of TND 2 thousand per subsidy. 197 Tunisian trademarks registered under Madrid Protocol in 2023 At the national level, companies seeking to register their trademarks before marketing their products should consult the National Institute of Standardisation and Industrial Property (INNORPI), said Deputy Director of INNORPI's Industrial Property Department Haroun Grami. At the interational level, these companies should either file a registration application with the trademark office of each country or use the Madrid Protocol on the International Registration of Marks, which aims to facilitate the registration and management of trademarks in several countries, he added, recalling that Tunisia had ratified this agreement in 2013. Taking the floor, INNORPRI Director General Nafa Boutiti said 197 Tunisian trademarks had been registered in 2023 under this protocol. This shows that local companies are aware of the need to register. Boutiti further indicated that efforts are currently made to amend laws on protection of intellectual property in a bid to keep them in step with international standards. For his part, Director General of Economic and Commercial Cooperation at the Trade and Export Development Ministry Lazher Ben Nour said companies seeking to expand on African markets must preserve their trademarks. The Libyan market is the gateway to Africa, he indicated, adding that "many Tunisian products reach African markets through Libya. We have a cooperation programme with this neighbouring country in the field of capacity building in the protection of intellectual property, because laws are not enough to protect companies, we need the necessary skills to implement them." He underlined that his department has already started concluding memoranda of understanding with Libya and Algeria, "with a view to enhance compliance with competition rules, protect consumers and prevent counterfeiting." Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse
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