A growing phenomenon that undermines business, health and safety.
Counterfeiting on the rise: threats to business, public health and safety in Europe.
The latest OECD report in collaboration with EUIPO highlights the economic and social impact of the trade in counterfeit products, along with the strategies adopted globally to combat this phenomenon. Updated data show increasing sophistication of counterfeiting networks, with significant implications for theEuropean Union as well, affected by illegal imports and damage to fair competition among businesses.
Index:
- Counterfeiting: updated OECD and EUIPO data
- The new routes and strategies of counterfeiters
- Consequences and recommendations
COUNTERFEITING: UPDATED OECD AND EUIPO DATA
The report , “Mapping Global Trade in Fakes 2025 – Global Trends and Enforcement Challenges,” prepared by OECD and EUIPO, provides up-to-date analysis on customs seizures and emerging trends related to counterfeiting. The paper stresses the urgency of stronger international cooperation to safeguard intellectual property rights and counter unfair competition.
Specifically, the report confirms that:
- Counterfeit products infiltrate supply networks, harming legitimate businesses, reducing tax revenues and posing risks to public health and safety.
- Illicit trade is closely linked to organized crime and corruption.
- The hardest hit sectors are clothing, footwear and electronics.
- China remains the main country of origin, followed by Bangladesh, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey.
THE NEW ROUTES AND STRATEGIES OF COUNTERFEITERS
Counterfeiters are altering trade routes by exploiting international routes such as the Danube River and locating production in areas closer to end markets to evade customs controls.
One of the most commonly used techniques is to import disassembled components or separate packaging, which are then assembled in the target market.
In addition, trade has shifted to online platforms, with heavy use of postal services as a distribution channel. This allows shipments to be classified as “de minimis” and escape inspection: in fact, 79 percent of seizures in 2020-21 involve shipments with fewer than 10 items.
CONSEQUENCES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Some categories that are particularly dangerous to health and safety, such as drugs, cosmetics and toys, emerge among the counterfeit products. This element is crucial for establishing effective prevention strategies.
Economically, in 2021 the value of world trade in counterfeit goods accounted for 2.3 percent of global imports, while in the EU the estimate rises to 4.7 percent of the total. This makes theEuropean Union a central target for illicit imports.
To strengthen enforcement against counterfeiting and unfair competition, it is necessary:
- Improving coordination among authorities
- Encouraging information sharing
- Strengthen collaboration with intellectual property rights holders
- Actively involve commercial intermediaries, especially postal and shipping services, to curb the spread of illegal trade.