20 Years of Commitment to Intellectual Property : How InfoCons Represents Consumers at WIPO , EUIPO , and Through the InfoCons App
InfoCons is one of the few consumer protection organizations consistently and prominently involved in the field of intellectual property. Over the years, the organization has built a solid presence in international and European forums as well as at national level, always focusing on the link between intellectual property, consumer safety and the fight against counterfeiting.
A member of WIPO
InfoCons is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO. This official recognition places Romania on the global map of organizations that contribute to the international dialogue in the field of intellectual property, InfoCons being the only consumer protection organization in Romania accredited within this international forum. Through its participation in the meetings, consultations and working groups organized by WIPO, InfoCons helps to promote consumer interests and supports the development of policies that encourage innovation and the fight against counterfeiting.
A member of the EUIPO Observatory
InfoCons is also an active member of the EUIPO Observatory – the European Union Intellectual Property Office – playing an important role within the Civil Society Working Group of the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights. Through its participation in the Observatory's activities, InfoCons contributes to projects dedicated to combating counterfeiting and piracy, to promoting intellectual property education, and to raising consumer awareness of the impact of counterfeit products on health, safety and the economy. InfoCons President Sorin Mierlea regularly attends the Observatory's working group meetings in Alicante, Spain.
Engagement at national level
At national level, InfoCons has been a member since 2006 of the Working Group on Intellectual Property Matters, coordinated by the Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice. This nearly two-decade-long engagement reflects the continuity and seriousness with which the organization approaches intellectual property issues, in close cooperation with law enforcement authorities.
Projects, campaigns and digital innovation
In 2023, InfoCons launched the European project A.C.T.I.V.E., dedicated to raising awareness among young people of the importance of protecting intellectual property rights and of the negative effects of counterfeiting and piracy. The project's results were presented within the Public Awareness Working Group of the EUIPO Observatory. Each year the organization marks World Intellectual Property Day through events, communication campaigns and large-scale educational actions.
In addition, InfoCons has developed an innovative consumer protection app that integrates European alerts on dangerous and non-compliant products and allows consumers to report items suspected of counterfeiting or piracy. Through all these actions – from its participation in WIPO and EUIPO to projects, campaigns and digital tools – InfoCons demonstrates a coherent and lasting commitment to the protection of intellectual property, for the benefit of consumers.
InfoCons, a voice for consumers in international forums
InfoCons is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO, the only consumer protection organization in Romania accredited within this international forum. This official recognition places Romania on the global map of organizations that contribute to the international dialogue in the field of intellectual property. Through its participation in WIPO meetings and working groups, InfoCons promotes consumer interests and supports policies that encourage innovation and the fight against counterfeiting.
At European level, InfoCons is an active member of the EUIPO Observatory – the European Union Intellectual Property Office – with an important role within the Civil Society Working Group. At national level, the organization has been part, since 2006, of the Working Group on Intellectual Property Matters, coordinated by the Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice. This involvement on three levels – national, European and international – gives InfoCons a complete perspective on the counterfeiting phenomenon.
The organization's commitment translates into concrete actions: European projects dedicated to young people, large-scale awareness campaigns and an innovative app that puts information within reach of every consumer. All of these share a common denominator: the conviction that respect for intellectual property rights and consumer protection are two sides of the same coin.
In this context, the presence of InfoCons at the Sixty-Eighth Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO, through its President Sorin Mierlea, is a natural continuation of nearly two decades of work dedicated to defending consumer interests in the field of intellectual property.
From information to action: the role of the InfoCons app
InfoCons' objective is not only to provide access to information, but also to empower consumers through digital innovation. The InfoCons app – a unique, innovative application – gives them practical tools to identify risks and actively contribute to a safer and more transparent marketplace. Through a simple barcode or QR code scan, consumers can access relevant information about products, right in front of the shelf.
One of the key features is the alerts section, which makes it possible to verify whether a product is subject to official safety alerts issued at European level, for both food and non-food products. The app provides information on the product name, the country concerned, the level of risk, the country of origin, the date the alert was published and an image of the product. At the same time, through dedicated functionalities, citizens can report products or services that may infringe intellectual property rights through counterfeiting or piracy.
Available in 33 languages, the app helps to disseminate consumer protection and intellectual property awareness messages at European and international level. Its educational dimension promotes informed choices and a culture based on responsibility, transparency and originality.
The presence of InfoCons at the Sixty-Eighth Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO, through its President Sorin Mierlea, is a concrete demonstration of how digital innovation can support respect for intellectual property rights and protect consumers in Romania and around the world.
Intellectual property and the everyday consumer
Intellectual property is often perceived as a technical subject reserved for lawyers and large companies. In reality, it is present in the life of each of us, every single day. The trademark on a product tells us who made it and guarantees a certain standard of quality; patents make it possible for new medicines, technologies and innovative solutions to emerge; copyright rewards the work of those who create cultural and educational content. When these rights are infringed through counterfeiting or piracy, the first to suffer is often the consumer.
Counterfeit products mean not only economic losses for companies and public budgets, but also a real danger to people's health and safety. Counterfeit toys, cosmetics, car parts, medicines or electronics can endanger consumers' lives, precisely because they are made without respecting quality and safety standards. In an increasingly digital economy, where online commerce erases borders, these risks multiply, and the need for accurate, rapid information becomes essential.
That is precisely why InfoCons has developed a unique and innovative consumer protection app that allows people to check products before buying them, consult European safety alerts and report products suspected of counterfeiting or piracy. Through this digital tool, every consumer becomes an active partner in the shared effort to make the marketplace safer, more transparent and fairer.
InfoCons' participation in the Sixty-Eighth Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO, through its President Sorin Mierlea, is part of this steady commitment: bringing the voice of Romanian and European consumers to the world's foremost intellectual property forum and turning global debates into concrete protection for citizens.
Signature: InfoCons Consumer Protection and Intellectual Property Department