Amplification of Protection of Intellectual Property Rights

As of January 1^st, 2015, Act No. 355/2014 Coll., on the Scope of the Customs Administration of the Czech Republic in Connection with the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights, became effective.

 This Act strengthens the protection of intellectual property rights, i.e. of trademarks, patents, copyright, utility models etc.

 The Customs Administrations of the Czech Republic was given more means of how to interfere in case when a businessman handles goods that breach intellectual property rights. From now on, businessmen should be more concentrated on goods that are delivered to their places of business.

 For example: a businessman buys goods that are delivered to his place of business on EUR or EPAL pallets which do not fulfil all conditions that are connected with using the trademarks EUR and EPAL and he stores them (the goods and the pallets). The storage of the pallets is in contradiction with the above mentioned Act and the businessman could be sanctioned with a fine up to CZK 10,000,000