Macedonian Customs Wins Prestigious IPR Protection Award

The Macedonian Customs Administration has recently won the most prestigious award in IPR protection worldwide – the Yolanda Benitez WCO Trophy 2009 Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy.

The award was presented at the annual session of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council, held in Brussels from June 25 until June 27, 2009.

According to the WCO, the Macedonian Customs deserved the award due to the high number of seizures of counterfeit goods that could affect people’s health and safety, including automobile parts, toothpaste and detergent.

Macedonian representatives were competing with 30 other national customs administrations, out of the 174 WCO members.

The Yolanda Benitez WCO Trophy was previously awarded to the customs administrations of Italy (2008), Germany (2007), and Korea (2006).

For more information, please contact Tatjana Nakevska in our Macedonia Office.