Barcelona: Event held on the enforcement of IP rights in free trade zones as part of the EU4IP-WB project
Delegation of the Institute for Intellectual Property of Bosnia and Herzegovina participated in the work of a regional event focused on the challenges of governance and law enforcement in free trade zones, which was held on October 22 and 23, 2026 in Barcelona as part of the "EU4IP - Western Balkans" (EU4IP-WB) project, funded by the European Union.
The event brought together enforcement authorities from the Western Balkans and the Republic of Moldova as part of the EU4IP-WB project to strengthen the capacities of customs and other authorities in monitoring and combating IPR infringements within free trade zones.
Free trade zones play an important role in international trade and can pose particular challenges to the enforcement of intellectual property rights, including the transit and storage of counterfeit goods. In the Western Balkans and the Republic of Moldova, strengthening the capacity of law enforcement authorities to monitor and address potential IPR infringements within free trade zones is an important area for regional cooperation.
To support this goal, the EU4IP-WB project, together with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Barcelona Free Trade Zone, co-organised a capacity-building event focused on the governance and challenges of IPR enforcement in free trade zones.
Participants discussed the development of free zones into innovation ecosystems capable of attracting investments, fostering technology transfer and generating high value-added industry. The event particularly emphasized how the protection of intangible assets and cooperation between public authorities, companies and technology centres can help strengthen competitiveness and promote sustainable economic development.
As part of the conference, a technical visit to DFactory Barcelona was realized, where participants had the opportunity to see first-hand the application of advanced technology in the industrial environment.
The delegation of the Institute for Intellectual Property of Bosnia and Herzegovina that participated in the event included Director Josip Merdžo, Deputy Director Zdravko Kašiković and Assistant Director for the Development of the Intellectual Property System Vesna Vuletić Bebek.
The project "EU4IP - Western Balkans" (EU4IP-WB) supports partners from the Western Balkans and the Republic of Moldova in advancing the EU accession process through stronger intellectual property systems.
