Public administration is responsible for regulating and monitoring the flow of goods, people, and capital across a country’s borders. They are the instruments for implementing a state’s trade, tax, and security policies.
In addition to their role in protecting health and the environment, national security, and collecting customs duties, they are involved in intellectual property matters to:
- Control goods: Customs inspects goods entering and leaving the country to ensure they comply with regulations, such as import and export restrictions and safety standards.
- Combating fraud and smuggling: Customs authorities intervene to prevent and suppress the illegal trafficking of goods such as drugs, weapons, counterfeit goods, and undeclared goods.
Any intellectual property rights holder may file a request for action with customs, either at the national level or at the European Union level. This ensures that customs can seize suspected counterfeit goods and notify the rights holder or their representative so that they can take the measures they deem necessary.