Risks associated with counterfeiting

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has published a brochure outlining the health and safety risks consumers face when consuming counterfeit goods.

Counterfeiters mainly come from countries outside the EU, so international cooperation is essential to combat this crime. Member States' law enforcement authorities and EU agencies work closely together to combat serious and organized crime.

In May 2021, the EU adopted priorities in the fight against organized crime for the next four years. These priorities will be implemented from 2022 under the European Multidisciplinary Platform against Criminal Threats (EMPACT). Intellectual property crime is included in the list of priorities in the current EMPACT cycle.

Thanks to this, some of the results obtained in operations carried out against this type of crime are

- 1,211 arrests

- Seizure of assets such as:

• 34.8 million counterfeit cosmetics and perfumes
• 1.2 million counterfeit automotive parts
• 8.8 million items of counterfeit clothing and accessories
• 2,040 metric tons of counterfeit or illegal pesticides
• 19 million packages of counterfeit toy packaging

In addition, it is documented that industrial and intellectual property crimes are controlled by organized crime and are related to other serious crimes.

- Bribery and corruption.

- Food fraud.

- Arms trafficking.

- Labor exploitation.

- Money laundering.

- Drug trafficking.

- Tax fraud.

At the SPTO, we support the fact that, in the next EMPACT cycle (2026-2029), industrial property crimes will continue to be a priority, since coordination and the fight against these crimes will be strengthened from a more multidisciplinary perspective. Our common goal is to better protect citizens, the environment and the EU economy.

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