ANNUAL REPORT 2013
AMCHAM ADVOCACY EFFORTS
AmCham’s advocacy activities are primarily initiated and carried out with the support of its
committees on Intellectual Property Rights, Legal & Tax issues, Workforce Development and
Corporate Social Responsibility.
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) committee
In 2013, the IPR committee met 9 times and involved 8 unique member company representatives.
With U.S. Embassy grant funds in December 2012 and another one in September 2013, under
committee guidelines and support we successfully completed the following activities and
initiatives:
• Offsite meeting with National IPR Coordinative Body members to discuss implementation
of the National IPR Strategy 2009-12;
• Annual IPR conference;
• Translation and adaptation of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) IPR
curriculum targeting children ages 9-14 into Macedonian and Albanian.
• Event with Microsoft’s “Partners in Learning” Program in order to recognized teacher’s
activities in IPR field;
• Anti-counterfeits campaign in 5 Macedonian cities (Skopje, Kumanovo, Tetovo, Shtip,
Prilep); and
• A number of targeted meetings with the Director of the SOIP, ZAMP, National IPR
Coordinative Body members and Customs on IPR-related topics.
• Published an updated edition of our 2010 Trademark Protection Guide.
Advocacy Highlight: “Stay Healthy Buy Originals” Campaign
With the financial support from the U.S. Embassy in Skopje, AmCham Macedonia partnered with
the National Coordinative Body for Intellectual Property Rights Protection (NCBIPR) to create a
traveling, interactive exhibition featuring counterfeit cosmetics,
drugs, personal hygiene items and other similar goods found
on the local marketplace. The items were selected for
their potential impact on consumer health and
informational leaflets were distributed to
visitors on the potential health
effects of such goods,
how to identify them
and what to do if a
good is suspected
to be counterfeit.
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