A memorandum of understanding on the campaign against counterfeiting and the protection of Italian products was signed between the Excise, Customs and Monopolies Agency (ADM) and Fiera Milano, with the aim of promoting opportunities to meet and raise awareness of safe and informed purchasing.

The purpose of the memorandum of understanding is to synergistically develop new forms of partnerships to increase awareness of the instruments for the protection of intellectual property rights among professionals. The agreement also provides for opportunities for discussion and support on customs procedures in the international trade fair sector and to provide companies with the most appropriate information on regulations, simplifications and customs incentives provided for by law, with a view to facilitate the proper circulation of goods in international trade and foster economic growth.

This intensifies Fiera Milano's synergy with ADM, which is already present in the Rho exhibition centre with its operation department, which performs daily activities that are part of its institutional mission.

According to Indicam data, in Italy the counterfeiting business is worth more than 12 billion euro, causing damage to 935 million companies and more than 10 billion euro to the Treasury.

During the signing of the protocol, a temporary museum space was inaugurated in the foyer of the Fiera Milano Service Centre in Rho, where ADM exhibited an entirely counterfeit car, a crude reproduction of a yellow 1958 Ferrari Dino 196 S; the instrument panel, steering wheel, seats and interior of the car do not conform, the size of the wheelbase, length and height are different from the original, and so are the materials used. This exhibition space is an opportunity to reflect on the entire trade fair sector and an opportunity to increasingly integrate measures to protect industrial property during trade fairs.

In fact, while waiting for the procedure to develop in Parliament, following the approval by the Council of Ministers of the draft law for the revision of the Industrial Property Code, which also provides for the temporary protection of designs and models as part of trade fairs, CFI - Comitato Fiere Industria, has set up a project that provides precise and direct information on the services that the Ministry for Economic Development (through its Directorate General against Counterfeiting) offers on the protection of industrial property rights.

“Trade in counterfeit products is one of the most relevant illegal practices faced by small and medium-sized companies, especially those who invest in creativity, innovation and research” says Luca Palermo, CEO and General Manager of Fiera Milano. “The memorandum of understanding we have signed today with ADM is a further means of supporting the 36 thousand companies we host every year in our exhibition spaces. An industrial and cultural heritage that must be protected and safeguarded against counterfeiting to ensure that Italian products are competitive and instantly recognised around the world. The partnership with ADM also enhances a series of services that we offer our exhibitors at the Fair, including the possibility of using a special Intellectual Property Service, a quick and effective protection desk that allows immediate intervention to protect intellectual property rights that have been damaged or threatened during an event”.

Marcello Minenna, Director General of the Italian Excise, Customs and Monopolies Agency, said, “Every day, with its men and women scattered throughout the country, the Agency is committed to combating and repressing fraud, whose first victims are citizens and the healthy economy of our country.

Thanks to our chemical laboratories and cross-checks with the companies that own the original brands, last year we seized more than 10 thousand tonnes of goods and this is evidence, but above all a perspective of how much can be done in collaboration with other institutions, as testified by this memorandum. Together, each one in its respective field of competence, we can channel skills towards a common goal: not leaving the healthy part of our country to those who make illegal profits”.

“As the Italian Ministry of Economic Development and the government”, said Gilberto Pichetto, deputy minister for economic development, “we are committed to supporting all the initiatives aimed at fostering the competitiveness of our companies on foreign markets, with particular attention to the trade fair sector, through the enhancement and promotion of Italian-made excellence and combating counterfeiting.  We consider this to be a priority area, and initiatives such as the one promoted today are welcome, with the signing of an agreement that goes precisely in this direction. Aware, moreover, that the campaign against counterfeiting and, at the same time, the promotion of industrial property are essential elements of our industrial policy, the Italian Ministry of Economic Development has paved the way for the revision of the Industrial Property Code, a measure implementing the National Reform Programme which, with an allocation of 30 million euro, focuses on tackling counterfeiting”. He concluded by saying, “Lastly, we have promoted the adoption of modern technologies such as smart labels and blockchain, and intensified the monitoring activities of the National Committee for Industrial Property (CNALCIS) with the aim of guiding and coordinating the work undertaken by the government departments and institutions it represents to protect Italian products”.