Risks and damages posed by IPR infringement in Europe

The COVID 19 pandemic and the resulting rise in online shopping and consumption of digital content, has shed new light on the risks and damages posed by intellectual property rights (IPR) infringement in Europe and put the dangers for consumers under a microscope.

On average nearly 1 in 10 Europeans (9%) claimed that they were misled into buying counterfeits, and a third of Europeans (33%) wondered whether a product they had bought was original. Counterfeits represent 6.8% of EU imports worth EUR 121 billion, damaging legitimate business and notably SMEs . Intellectual Property is one of Europe’s most valuable assets, and a key element in our social and economic recovery.

IP crime, often interlinked with other types of illegal activities, has recently been reinstated as one of the top ten EU priorities in the fight against organised crime.

Source：euipo.europa.eu

Editor：IPRdaily-Vapor