Application for Action in Customs

The Albanian Customs Administration in the framework of the fiscal, economic and safety mission has the obligation to protect the Intellectual Property Rights for the purpose of:

• Protecting the businesses which are holders and/or users of an Intellectual Property right from unfair competition;
• Protection of consumers and public health from the counterfeit/pirated goods for the consequences that they cause and the possible limitation of revenue losses to the state budget resulting from goods infringing an Intellectual Property Right.

In order to enable a protection of Intellectual Property Rights and to achieve the same level of protection for the issue of Intellectual Property, as in the European Union countries, the Customs Administration has established the Directorate for the Protection of Intellectual Property which is a structure under the Law Enforcement Department at the General Directorate of Customs.

The tasks of the IPR Direcotare are to enforce the legislation on Intellectual Property Protection under the laws and bylaws in force for the Albanian Customs territory, to coordinate the work between other Directorates of the General Directorate of Customs, third institutions and/or groups of interests in Intellectual Property issues, to administrate professionally the  applications for actions submitted to IPRD by keeping in mind compliance with timelines, procedures and professional handling of the cases.

Application for action is the only protective tool to protect the intellectual property rights by the Albanian Customs Administration.

This application is submitted to the General Directorate of Customs accompanied by the following documents:

• Specific forms for this purpose in three copies (one for the applicant and two for the General Directorate of Customs);
• Documents proving that the applicant has the right to lodge an application;
• When the applicant submits the application by a representative, details of the person that he represents and evidence that the person has the authority to act in the capacity of the representative in accordance with the legislation in force.