Introduction
Counterfeit goods continue to pose significant threats to industries, economies, and consumers worldwide. The European Union Intellectual Property Office's (EUIPO) latest report on intellectual property rights (IPR) enforcement in 2023 provides crucial insights into the scale of counterfeiting and the EU's fight against it. With 2023 marking a year of record-breaking detentions, this blog will delve into the most dramatic findings and envision a future where authentication tools like PiQR’s protected-identity QR codes can transform the global marketplace.
Key Highlights from the Report
1.Record-Breaking Detentions Across the EU
- Over 152 million counterfeit articles were detained across the EU in 2023, a 77% increase from 2022. The estimated retail value of these goods reached a staggering €3.4 billion, up 68% from the previous year.
- Italy led with 74% of all detentions by volume, followed by France, Romania, and Spain, showcasing concentrated enforcement efforts in key markets.
2.Rise in Internal Market Detentions
- The EU internal market saw 138 million articles detained in 2023, a record-breaking figure and a 106% increase compared to 2022
- This increase is attributed to strengthened enforcement measures and enhanced international cooperation through the EMPACT framework
3. E-Commerce’s Role in Counterfeiting
- Goods transported via postal and express courier services dominated in detention cases, accounting for over 37,000 and 21,000 cases, respectively. However, the majority of articles detained by volume were intercepted via maritime and road transport.
4. Geographic and Product Trends
- China remained the leading source of counterfeit goods, accounting for 56% of all detained items, followed by Hong Kong and Türkiye.
- The top counterfeit categories included games, toys, packaging materials, and labels, highlighting emerging risks from domestic assembly of unbranded goods.
5. Trademark Infringements Dominate
- Trademarks were the most infringed IPR, with 84% of detained articles violating European Union Trademarks.
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Economic and Social Implications
The proliferation of counterfeit goods threatens industries by eroding trust and revenue. Key impacted sectors include:
- Games & Toys: Counterfeit toys are produced from substandard, often dangerous materials
- Fashion and Apparel: Fake designer clothing diminishes brand exclusivity.
- Electronics: Counterfeit gadgets pose safety and security risks.
- Pharmaceuticals: Fake medicines endanger lives and healthcare systems.
Consumers, too, bear the brunt of these illicit activities, facing potential health and safety hazards and economic losses from poor-quality counterfeit products.
PiQR: The Future of Anti-Counterfeiting: Why Authentication Matters
Imagine a world where every product, from a luxury handbag to a life-saving drug, could be authenticated instantly by anyone in the supply chain - being it customs officer, distributor, retailer or a final buyer - consumer. Tools like PiQR {Protected identity QR codes} are paving the way for such a future. These secure, copy-protected QR codes:
- Anyone, anywhere, anytime to verify a product’s authenticity with a simple scan.
- Enable brands to build trust and empowerment of their consumers.
- Protect businesses from counterfeit-induced revenue losses.
Call to Action
As counterfeiters evolve, so must our defenses. The EU’s robust enforcement efforts are a crucial step forward, and the amount of seizures in the year 2023 was a clear evidence, but making authentication the default function of any product or packaging is the ultimate key to eradicating counterfeits.
Let’s build the #ZeroFakeFuture, one scan at a time
<Original EUIPO Sources>
- 2024_EU_Enforcement_of_IPRs_ExSum_en.pdf [7 pages]
- 2024_EU_Enforcement_of_IPRs_annexes_en.pdf [65 pages]
https://www.euipo.europa.eu/en/publications/eu-enforcement-of-intellectual-property-rights-2024
