The state budget lost four million euros because the government failed to collect those funds through taxes, and the film and video games industry lost as much because they failed to put their products on the market, Zoran Vujasin of the Society for the Protection of Audio Visual Works said at the seminar, which is taking place in the northern Adriatic resort of Valbandon from 11 to 14 October.
Vujasin said that producers were unhappy with the government's inefficiency in combating intellectual property violations, citing a small number of convictions and lenient sentences.
Since 1993, 3,700 persons have been charged with violating intellectual property and only 600 such cases are being prosecuted in court. Most of the offenders were given suspended sentences, while the rest had to pay minor fines, Vujasin said.
The seminar is intended for police and customs officials, inspectors, Justice Ministry officials and manufacturers.