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Sorin Mierlea , President of InfoCons Consumer Protection , attends the second day of the 2026 EUIPO Observatory Plenary Meeting

Sorin Mierlea , President of InfoCons Consumer Protection , attends the second day of the 2026 EUIPO Observatory Plenary Meeting

On 65 September 2026, Sorin Mierlea, President of InfoCons Consumer Protection, attends the second day of the Plenary Meeting of the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights, part of the European Union Intellectual Property Office – EUIPO.

The meeting takes place on 15–16 September 2026 at EUIPO’s premises in Alicante, Spain, and it brings together representatives of European institutions, national authorities, the private sector, civil society and international organisations.

InfoCons is an active member of the EUIPO Observatory and is involved in its civil society activities. Its participation supports the representation of consumers’ interests in discussions on intellectual property, public awareness and the fight against counterfeiting and piracy.

At national level, InfoCons has been a member of the Working Group on Intellectual Property Issues, coordinated by the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice, since 2006.

The first day focuses on the Observatory’s activities in 2025–2026, youth awareness of intellectual property, implementation of the Digital Services Act, and copyright challenges in the digital environment and audiovisual sector.

Day 2 agenda – Wednesday, 16 September 2026

All times are local to Alicante, Spain.

09:00 | Bus from Meliá Hotel

09:30 | Connection for online participants and arrival at EUIPO

09:45–10:05 | Introduction to Day 2

Introductory contributions by:

  • Leire Pajín, Member of the European Parliament – video message;
  • Hubert Gambs, Deputy Director-General, DG JUST, European Commission.

10:05–10:30 | Work Programme 2027

Patricia García-Escudero Márquez, Director of the Observatory, presents the main elements of the Observatory’s draft Work Programme for 2027.

Participants are invited to provide feedback and suggestions on future activities.

10:30–11:45 | From strategy to action: how EMPACT partnerships deliver results against IP crime

The panel examines EMPACT’s role in tackling intellectual property crime across Europe, including key operational actions, recent achievements and priorities for the current cycle.

It presents practical examples of public-private partnerships addressing both online and offline infringement. The discussion considers how cooperation between law enforcement authorities, rights holders and other stakeholders produces concrete operational results and how these partnerships can be strengthened.

Moderator:

  • Anthony Manuguerra, Enforcement Service, Observatory Department, EUIPO.

Panellists:

  • Antonio De Cristofaro, EMPACT Driver, Guardia di Finanza;
  • Juliana Fuchs, Counsel Brand Protection, PUMA;
  • José Luis Gómez Pidal, Head of the Intellectual Property Crime Section, Spanish National Police;
  • Miruna Herovanu, Executive Director, Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance – AAPA;
  • Nikolay Nikolov, Head of the IPR Unit within the General Directorate Combating Organised Crime, Bulgarian Ministry of the Interior / Bulgarian Police.

Europol’s support for EMPACT operational actions is presented by:

  • Angelo Longo, Head of Team, Counterfeiting, Europol.

The session includes an open discussion with participants.

11:45–12:00 | Coffee break

12:00–13:15 | How can enforcement drive innovation?

This panel explores the relationship between innovation and enforcement as emerging technologies reshape both opportunities and challenges for public authorities.

It brings together perspectives from research, law enforcement and border security, examining how advanced technologies, interdisciplinary cooperation and operational expertise can help anticipate threats and develop resilient enforcement strategies.

Moderator:

  • Valerio Papajorgji, Head of the Enforcement Service, Observatory Department, EUIPO.

Panellists:

  • Kristóf Péter Bakai, Deputy Commissioner for Customs and International Affairs, Hungary;
  • Carmina Germano, Europol Specialist, Innovation Lab;
  • Jean-Marie Le Goff, Senior applied physicist and computer scientist;
  • Margarita Tuch, Legal and Policy Officer, DG JUST, European Commission.

The session includes an open discussion with participants.

13:15–13:20 | Closing remarks

  • Andrea Di Carlo, Deputy Executive Director, EUIPO.

13:20 | Closure of the event

Institutions and organisations represented at the plenary meeting

Presidency of the Council of the European Union

  • Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment – Ireland, representing the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU.

European Parliament

  • European Parliament.

European Commission

  • DG JUST – Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers;
  • DG GROW – Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs;
  • DG CNECT – Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology;
  • DG EAC – Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture;
  • DG TAXUD – Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union.

Public sector

  • Federal Public Service Economy – Belgium;
  • Patent Office of the Republic of Bulgaria – Bulgaria;
  • Ministry of the Interior / Bulgarian Police – Bulgaria;
  • General Directorate of Customs – Czech Republic;
  • Danish Patent and Trademark Office – Denmark;
  • German Patent and Trade Mark Office – Germany;
  • Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs – Estonia;
  • Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment – Ireland;
  • Hellenic Industrial Property Organisation – OBI, Greece;
  • Independent Authority for Market Surveillance and Consumer Protection – DIMEA, Greece;
  • Spanish Patent and Trademark Office – Spain;
  • Ministry of Culture – Spain;
  • Spanish National Police – Spain;
  • Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle / Comité National Anti-Contrefaçon – France;
  • State Intellectual Property Office – Croatia;
  • Italian Patent and Trademark Office – Italy;
  • Guardia di Finanza – Italy;
  • Customs & Excise Department – Cyprus;
  • Patent Office of the Republic of Latvia – Latvia;
  • Ministry of Culture – Lithuania;
  • Intellectual Property Office – Luxembourg;
  • Hungarian Intellectual Property Office – Hungary;
  • National Tax and Customs Administration – Hungary;
  • Malta Tax & Customs Administration – Malta;
  • Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy – Netherlands;
  • Federal Ministry of Finance – Austria;
  • Ministry of Culture and National Heritage – Poland;
  • Patent Office of the Republic of Poland – Poland;
  • Portuguese Institute of Industrial Property – Portugal;
  • The Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Romania – Romania;
  • Slovenian Intellectual Property Office – Slovenia;
  • Criminal Office of the Financial Administration – Slovakia;
  • Finnish Customs – Finland;
  • Ministry of Education and Culture – Finland;
  • Finnish Patent and Registration Office – Finland;
  • Swedish Intellectual Property Office – Sweden.

Private sector

  • AAPA – Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance;
  • ACG – Anti-Counterfeiting Group;
  • ACT – Association of Commercial Television and Video on Demand Services in Europe;
  • ACT – The Association for Competitive Technology;
  • AER – Association of European Radios;
  • AIM – European Brands Association;
  • ANDEMA – Asociación para la Defensa de la Marca;
  • APM – The German Anti-Counterfeiting Association;
  • BUSINESS EUROPE – Confederation of European Business;
  • CCIA Europe – Computer & Communications Industry Association;
  • CEPI – European Audiovisual Production;
  • CIOPORA – International Community of Breeders of Asexually Reproduced Ornamental and Fruit Varieties;
  • DOT Europe – Digital, Online and Tech in Europe;
  • EBU – European Broadcasting Union;
  • ECSA – European Composer and Songwriter Alliance;
  • ECTA – European Communities Trademark Association;
  • EMMA-ENPA – European Newspaper Publishers’ Association;
  • EPC – European Publishers Council;
  • EUROCOPYA – European Federation of Joint Management Societies of Producers for Private Audiovisual Copying;
  • EuroISPA – European Internet Services Providers Association;
  • EWC – European Writers’ Council;
  • FEP/FEE – Federation of European Publishers;
  • FERA – Federation of European Screen Directors;
  • FESI – Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry;
  • FIAD – The International Federation of Film Distributors’ and Publishers’ Association;
  • GACG – Global Anti-Counterfeiting Group;
  • GESAC – European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers;
  • ICC – International Chamber of Commerce;
  • ICMP – International Confederation of Music Publishers;
  • IFPI – International Federation of the Phonographic Industry;
  • IFRRO – International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisation;
  • IMPF – Independent Music Publishers International Forum;
  • INDICAM – Per la tutela della proprietà intellettuale;
  • INTA – International Trademark Association;
  • IP2I – IP2Innovate;
  • IVF – International Video Federation;
  • MARQUES – European Association of Trade Mark Owners;
  • MPA – Motion Picture Association;
  • ORGALIM – Europe’s Technology Industries;
  • REACT – The European Anti-Counterfeiting Network;
  • SAA – Society of Audiovisual Authors;
  • SACG – Swedish Anti-Counterfeiting Group;
  • SROC – Sports Rights Owners Coalition;
  • STM – The International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers;
  • TIC Council – Testing, Inspection and Certification Council;
  • UNIC – International Union of Cinemas;
  • UNIFAB – Union des Fabricants.

Civil society

  • ADICONSUM – Consumer Defense and Environment Association;
  • COMMUNIA – International Association on the Public Domain;
  • DECO – Portuguese Association for Consumer Protection;
  • EAASM/ASOP EU – European Alliance for Access to Safe Medicines / The Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacy in the EU;
  • InfoCons Association;
  • TaC – Together against Cybercrime International.

Observers

  • CEPOL – European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training;
  • EFTA – Iceland;
  • EFTA – Norway;
  • EFTA – Switzerland;
  • Europeana Foundation;
  • Europol – European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation;
  • OECD – Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development;
  • WCO – World Customs Organization.

Other organisations and entities

  • Bocconi University;
  • El Viejo Continente;
  • EUROCINEMA;
  • LaIPA – Latvian Performers’ and Producers’ Association;
  • PUMA;
  • Unison – Junior Achievement Europe.

EUIPO – executive management and departments represented

  • EUIPO Executive Management;
  • Observatory Department;
  • Academy Department;
  • Cooperation and Partnerships Department;
  • Corporate Strategy and Foresight Department;
  • Financial Management and Control Department;
  • Legal Affairs Department;
  • Workplace Solutions Department.

What is EUIPO?

The European Union Intellectual Property Office manages EU trade marks and registered EU designs. Through cooperation with national offices and institutional partners, it contributes to an accessible and consistent intellectual property system.

For consumers, respect for intellectual property is also relevant to recognising authentic products, accessing content from legitimate sources and understanding the risks associated with counterfeiting.

What is the EUIPO Observatory?

The European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights brings together authorities, professional organisations, civil society representatives and international partners. Its work includes research, awareness, education, practical tools and exchanges of expertise to help prevent and tackle intellectual property infringement.

The Observatory supports cooperation among stakeholders but does not itself exercise direct law enforcement powers.

EUIPO leadership represented in the meeting programme

The agenda includes João Negrão, Executive Director of EUIPO, and Andrea Di Carlo, Deputy Executive Director. The Observatory’s activities are presented by Patricia García-Escudero Márquez, Director of the Observatory Department.

Signature: InfoCons Consumer Protection in Intellectual Property Department

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