Sharp rise in fake goods seized in EU

Data on the most infringed type of IP right in the region | six member states accounted for more than 95% of total detentions | EUIPO.

The number of fake items seized in the EU grew by 31% in 2021 to approximately 86 million items, according to the latest report from the European Commission and EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

Released on Friday, December 16, the report found that approximately 62% of the fake items in 2021 were detained in the internal market and the rest at the EU border.

Italy recorded the highest individual share by volume, with 39% of the total detentions.

Internal detentions

Internally, according to figures reported by police, customs and market surveillance authorities, the number of IP right-infringing goods increased by 16% to 53 million. The estimated value of these goods decreased by €46 million ($48.9 million), representing a 3.5% annual decrease.

Six member states—Italy, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Hungary and Greece—accounted for more than 95% of total detentions in the internal market last year.

The report shows that the five most seized products, in terms of the number of items detained in the whole EU, were packaging materials, cigarettes, labels, clothing and toys. These items accounted for more than 53% of the products recorded.

According to the report, trademarks accounted for the most infringed IP right type in detentions in the EU internal market with more than 93% of the articles detained infringing trademarks.

EU border detentions

At the EU border, the number of items detained rose by 56% compared to the previous year, although the value of the goods increased by only 4%.

“The shift in the basket of products detained from expensive products towards categories of cheaper products, as well as the reduction of the estimated value per unit in some of the categories of articles detained (both among the most numerous and among the most expensive), explained the modest increase of the estimated value of the detained goods in 2021,” said the report.

The report added that, as in previous years, China remains the main country of origin for the majority of fake goods entering the EU in 2021. China was followed by Turkey and Hong Kong.

Trademarks continued to be, by far, the most infringed type of IP right.

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