GLOBAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ACADEMY (GIPA),GENERAL

UNCLAS SOFIA 001375 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD KIPR AORC BU SUBJECT: GLOBAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ACADEMY (GIPA),GENERAL ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM, FEBRUARY 11-14, 2008 REF: A) STATE 161326 ¶1. (U) Per reftel, we would like to nominate Mr. Georgi Georgiev and Mr. Svetlan Savov, of the National Customs Agency, for USPTO training on February 11-14, 2008. Georgiev has been with the National Customs Agency since 1999. He is currently working as a state expert in the Customs Intelligence Department, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate in Sofia. Georgiev is responsible for combating the commercial fraud and smuggling in excise and counterfeited goods, and facilitating co-operation with relevant foreign customs authorities. He is also a national contact point officer for RIF (Risk Information Form) Risk Management System, administered by European Commission's DG TAXUD, and OLAF's Joint Customs Operation. Georgiev is a joint customs operation liaison officer for Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus and Slovenia. He has also sat as a member of several sessions of the Administrative Committee of the World Customs Organization on the Improvement of Container Customs Convention. ¶2. (U) Mr. Svetlan Savov has been Head of Customs Intelligence Department, National Customs Agency, Varna (Northeast Bulgaria) since 2002. Savov's duties include the fight against commercial fraud and smuggling in excise and counterfeited goods, and facilitating cooperation with relevant foreign customs authorities. Savov is a regional contact point officer for RIF Risk Management System of EC's DG TAXUD. He is also a regional contact point officer for providing information to OLAF on border movements of tobacco and tobacco products. ¶3. (U) Post believes that this training is a key part in maintaining the current momentum in reforming Bulgaria's IPR regime. The Bulgarian candidate(s),however, are unlikely to travel without funding assistance. Post respectfully requests USPTO funding for per diem, ground transportation and visa fee. We greatly appreciate USPTO's efforts with this program. ¶3. (U) Nominees' contact information: --Mr. Georgi Kaloferov Georgiev Customs Intelligence Department, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate, National Customs Agency Sofia, Bulgaria 47 G.S. Rakovski St. Tel. (359-2) 9859-4466 Fax. (359-2) 9859-4083 E-mail: Gueorgui.Gueorguiev@customs.bg Work Experience: 1999 - 2007, National Customs Agency; 1990 - 1999, GK Trading and Investment, Sales Manager; 1987 - 1990, Army Officer; Education: 1996 - 1999, University for National and World Economy, Sofia, Bachelor's Degree in Financial Management; 1983 - 1987, Veliko Tarnovo Higher Military University, Master's Degree; Seminars and Workshops: November 2007, European Commission and Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance, Combating Fake Medicines, Seminar, Innsbruck, Austria; July 2007, European Commission, Risk Management of Intellectual Property Rights, a study visit, Milan, Italy; May 2007, DG TAXUD, RIF Risk Management System Training, Brussels, Belgium; October 2006, OLAF and Austrian Customs Administration, International Anti-Fraud Meeting on Customs Audit, Seminar, Klagenfurt, Austria; February 2005, European Commission, Risk Analysis Training, Brno, the Czech Republic; May 2004, European Commission, Anti-smuggling and Risk Management, a study visit, Greece; November 2001, European Commission, Risk Analysis, a study visit, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; December 2000, European Commission, Risk Analysis, a study visit, Gothenburg, Sweden; --Mr. Svetlan Petrov Savov Customs Intelligence Department, Customs Office Varna, Head of Customs Intelligence 2 Slaveikov Sq., Varna, Bulgaria Tel. (359-52) 689-544 Fax. (359-52) 689-546 E-mail: svetlan1976@abv.bg Work Experience: 2002 - Present, National Customs Agency, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate, Customs Intelligence Department, Varna; Education: 1995-2000, Economic University, Varna, Master's Degree in Accounting; Seminars and Trainings: February 2007, DG TAXUD RIF Risk Management System Training, Brussels, Belgium; December 2006, DG TAXUD RIF Risk Management System Training, Brussels, Belgium; June 2006, OLAF Customs Fraud with Excise Goods, Seminar, Sofia, Bulgaria; October 2005, DG TAXUD, Training in Customs Intelligence for IPR, Dublin, Republic of Ireland; April 2005, DG TAXUD, Seminar in Intellectual Property Rights, Budapest, Hungary; June 2004, IGS Academy, Montreal, Canada; September 2002, Bulgarian Association against Illegal Use of Copyrighted Products, Fight against Piracy of Audiovisual Works and Entertaining Software, Sofia, Bulgaria; --Embassy Sofia Point of Contact (POC) will be Economic Specialist Danko Tonev. Contact information for Mr. Tonev follows: (Office) 359-2-937-5212, (Fax) 359-2-937-5320, and (E-mail) tonevdt@state.gov. BEYRLE